Siliguri, Oct.7: Tour operators are worried that inflow of visitors to north Bengal and Sikkim will be hit if there is no let-up in the heavy rain that has been lashing the region for the past 24 hours. The rain comes at a time the tourism season is picking up and people are getting ready to celebrate Kali Puja.
“We saw a huge footfall of tourists during Durga Puja that was celebrated without any climatic disturbances. But we are worried that the sudden shower will disrupt roads and vacationers will not be able to make it to the hills. The weather has caused immense havoc during the tourism season earlier this year,” said Santosh Gupta, the director of Travel Junction, a Darjeeling-based tour agency.
“It is mostly south Indians who visit the region during the season that begins in mid-September and continues till the end of the year and they prefer warm climate to cold and wet weather spells. We hope that the rain does not last for too long,” he added.
Weather experts, however, forecast that the incessant rain would continue for two more days before the sky became clear.
“The heavy rain was caused by a low pressure that was formed in the region last evening. Otherwise, intermittent showers are normal at this time as the monsoon is yet to withdraw,” said Subir Sarkar, the in-charge of the weather station at North Bengal University.
Tour operators in the Dooars, too, fear the wet weather might play spoilsport for the visitors who want to view animals in Gorumara National Park and Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary.
“The bookings this time are good compared to what we had received last year. But most animals take refuge deep inside the forest and do not come out during the wet weather. The tourists will be disappointed if they cannot see the animals. If the rain persists, we will lose many tourists who fly down to visit the Dooars at this time of the year,” said Kamal Bhowmik, the secretary of the Lataguri Resort Owners’ Association
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