Darjeeling
9 Jan 2014
Gorkha
Janmukti Morcha president and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration
chief executive Bimal Gurung today outlined development plans for the
hills that included new townships. He added preparations are on for
implementing them within March of this year.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting
with party workers and supporters at the sub-divisional office in
Darjeeling, the GJM chief said, “We have to utilise Rs200 crore within
March. For this we have chalked out various development projects for the
hills.”
However, he did not say if the funds
were part of what the central government had pledged when the GTA
agreement was signed in July 2011.
Plans are afoot to build new townships
to mitigate the burgeoning population in the three hill towns of
Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.
“Besides the population, there is
manifold increase in construction in the three towns. The load is
immense and to ease this burden, we have plans to construct satellite
towns,” according to Gurung.
In Darjeeling sub-division, a new
township is expected to come up from Happy Valley to Rangit Tea garden,
while the new satellite town in Kurseong will be built at Monteviot and
the process of identifying space for a township in Kalimpong is in
progress.
The GTA chief executive also said he
would lay the foundation stone for a passenger ropeway from Giddeypahar
to Rohini in Kurseong sub-division on January 22.
“Besides the ropeway, I will also visit
Sukna the following day to lay another foundation stone for a model
school. On January 13, I will be in Borbotey for a brick laying ceremony
of a high school,” informed Gurung.
Giving priority to education, the GTA
has identified a plot of land for building a medical college in
Kurseong, while space is being searched for an engineering college in
Takdah.
“We will give importance to education and initiate infrastructure works in the days to come,” said Gurung.
The GTA will also build four bridges in
Lodhoma, Pokhraybong-Malat, Jangapana-Ghoomti and Pumong- Teesta Valley
to connect various rural areas.
“More than Rs15 crore will be utilised
for construction of bridges so that people living in far flung areas
have access to various villages,” informed the GTA chief executive.
Plans are also on to renovate the Rock Garden and Gangamaya Park near Dali in Darjeeling that was destroyed by the cyclone Aila.
“We will renovate the Rock Garden and
Gangamaya Park in three phases. Likewise, other tourist spots will also
be given an uplift to attract tourists,” said Gurung.
A super specialty hospital at Sukna is also under consideration although land is not immediately available.
“Sukna is a vantage point and a super
specialty hospital there would be convenient for people. However,
procuring land is a big problem and hence we are thinking of shifting
the project to Dhudey”, revealed the GTA chief executive.
