Just a week after deciding to resume tourism in Darjeeling, the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) has decided to suspend all tourism activities in the city till July 31. By Kumar Shree
The decision was made after noting a sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in West Bengal and Darjeeling’s nearby hill stations. The council has also asked the city residents and those residing in Kalimpong to refrain from travelling to Siliguri given the high number of Coronavirus cases there.
View this post on Instagram
As reported by The Times of India, Anit Thapa, GTA chairman said, “I am very concerned over the rising number of COVID-19 cases in our nation, the state government has already announced a rigorous lockdown to be enforced in all containment zones from July 9. As you all know, the number of cases is much less in the hills, as compared to Siliguri but that doesn’t mean that we are safe from the virus.”
He also stated that the council has arrived at this common decision to ban all tourism activities in the regions that fall under the GTA. People living in Simulbarie and Chitrey regions will also be screened to identify any hidden cases in these areas. He also urged the residents to stay mentally and physically prepared to fight and stop the spread of the virus. He said that the people of GTA, health workers, police, and the administration is working together to emerge victorious out of this situation.
View this post on Instagram
Apart from Darjeeling, nine community wards in Siliguri and Jalpaiguri have also been put under total lockdown for the next seven days. Animesh Bose, joint coordinator of Siliguri Fight Corona Committee confirmed that the decision has been taken keeping as per the demand of the residents.
So far, Darjeeling has 84 containment zones. It has reported 14 confirmed cases as on July 10, 2020.
Related: ClearTrip’s TravelSafe Initiative Will Ensure You Never Miss Another Update On Tourism Policies
