Be it Lava, Lolegaon or Jaldapara, Gorumara- these popular spots are always favourite destinations for tourists. Keeping this in mind, the state government had arranged package tours by bus from the Jalpaiguri depot of North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) for tourists. This weekly bus tour, which started during the left government regime, was named 'Sabujer Pathe Hatchhani'.
Though it ran well initially, the number of bookings gradually started declining afterwards. The decline has reached such a point that not a single booking has been received from January this year till now. As a result, the weekly tour service is on the verge of closure. Depot employees are also disappointed.
According to depot sources, the 'Sabujer Pathe Hatchhani' tour service was mainly availed by people from the Jalpaiguri district. There are separate packages for one-day tours and two-day tours. Many people used this service because of the convenience of leaving in the morning and returning home at night for just ₹700-800. If an overnight stay was involved, the corporation would arrange everything in that case too. Weekend package tours allowed families to travel for two nights and three days within ₹2500-3000. Apart from booking facilities at the depot, the corporation also arranged online booking.
At one time, due to this tour, Jalpaiguri depot had left behind Cooch Behar and Siliguri depots in terms of profit figures. But what suddenly happened that there hasn't been a single booking for the past eight months! According to depot sources, the routes on which this service is provided have become monotonous.
No new routes have been included in the 'Sabujer Pathe Hatchhani' service. How many times will one person go to the same place? Anamika Roy, a resident of Jalpaiguri town, says, "I have visited Lava-Lolegaon once with my family and another time with relatives visiting from outside. But NBSTC is not adding new places to their package. So I don't travel with them anymore."
Rabindranath Sarkar, a resident of Arbindanagar in the town, also shares the same sentiment. He has visited all the places that the Jalpaiguri depot takes tourists to. Due to a lack of new destinations, he is also not booking.
Several new destinations have been created in recent years. The number of pocket routes has increased. Along with popular tourist spots, there is a considerable rush to 'offbeat' destinations as well. Depot in-charge Subal Basu informed that the bus available for tours cannot go to all pocket routes. Only small vehicles can enter those routes. Therefore, pocket routes cannot be brought under the package for this reason as well.
Earlier, permanent employees were recruited at the depot to handle all matters related to package tours. After their retirement, no new employees have been recruited. The corporation is managing work with temporary employees. Board member of the corporation, Anantadeb Adhikari, has acknowledged the problems. He said, "There is laxity in work due to fewer employees. New buses were supposed to be purchased, but that hasn't happened either. The issue of not adding new spots also exists."
Yet temporary employees are ready to conduct tours on any day of the week if bookings are received. They have continued everything from social media promotion to leaflet distribution and miking. But even then, bookings are not coming. According to the depot in charge, "We are making all kinds of efforts to get bookings. The matter of adding new destinations to the tour list will be informed to higher authorities." Ananta has also assured, "This problem will be solved after the puja season is over."
