The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) is looking to develop the Jamuni tourist complex, a pet project of former GTA chief Bimal Gurung in Darjeeling, by tying up with private investors.

Anit Thapa, chief executive, GTA, during a visit to the place about 15km from Darjeeling on Monday, revealed the plan.

“The place is in a bad situation. We are looking for private investors to develop the place. Such a partnership will not only help develop the place but will ensure proper upkeep and will generate revenue for us without the government having to invest much,” said Thapa.

The project was once the most talked about, especially during Gurung’s tenure at
the GTA.

GTA and even the previous hill body, Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), invested almost ₹50 crore to develop the area.

The foundation of the project was laid by Subash Ghisingh when he inaugurated the Happy New Year bridge on January 1, 2006, when he helmed DGHC.

However, the area developed at a quick pace after Gurung started controlling the hill politics from 2008 onwards. The area was part of Gurung’s GTA constituency of Vah-Tukvar.

GTA built a lodge with 22 rooms; four riverside cottages with 12 rooms were also constructed. A boating facility was set up along with a children’s park, and a statue of Lord Shiva was also installed.

The construction of a “Mughal garden” across an area of 13 acres was also started but remains incomplete.

However, after Gurung lost power in 2017, the place has remained largely neglected.

In fact, the rooms have never been used commercially and the boating facility too was operational for a very brief period of time.