Representatives of the transport departments of Bengal and Sikkim shared draft proposals for a reciprocal agreement on Wednesday over the movement of vehicles and the improvement of transport facilities between the states.
Snehasis Chakraborty, the transport minister of Bengal, who was accompanied by Siliguri mayor Gautam Deb and officials of the transport department, held a meeting with a delegation led by Sikkim MLA Madan Cintury and adviser to the transport department of his state, and Raj Yadav, the secretary-cum-commissioner of the department.
“We discussed some issues on the reciprocal agreement on transport between Bengal and Sikkim. The proposals would be finalised soon and a fresh agreement signed among the state governments,” said Chakraborty.
Sources said that the last reciprocal agreement, which mentions the number of vehicles that would enter Bengal from Sikkim every day and vice versa, was inked in 2022.
“However, considering the rise in the movement of vehicles between both the states and the surge in the inflow of tourists, stakeholders in the tourism industry and representatives of the transporters association of both Bengal and Sikkim have sought a revised agreement between the states to facilitate movement of vehicles,” said a source.
“That is why the meeting was held to finalise the modalities. However, more such talks are likely to be held before the new agreement is drafted,” the source added.
Yadav, who represented Sikkim, said a proposal was put to allow 4,500 (stage carriage and contract carriage) vehicles to enter Bengal from Sikkim every day and vice-versa. As of now, 3,000 vehicles are allowed to move between the states from both sides, he said.
An official from Sikkim said another proposal to introduce around 10 electric buses between Siliguri and Sikkim was placed at the meeting.
Over the years, transporters based in Bengal have said that their vehicles (registered in Bengal) were not allowed to move beyond certain points in Sikkim, causing inconvenience to tourists.
“There is a proposal to allow such vehicles to drop the tourists at hotels and other accommodations. The sightseeing, however, will be arranged by local transporters of Sikkim as it is done now,” said a source.
Those associated with the tourism industry said they wanted the revised agreement to be signed at the earliest. Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network, an apex body of tourism stakeholders, said the Bengal government should also take up some other issues related to transportation with Sikkim.
“We sought withdrawal of restrictions on Bengal vehicles by allowing them for sightseeing in Sikkim. Our other demands are expediting the renewal process of Sikkim permits, implementing online payments for permits and taxes and putting up designated taxi stands for vehicles of Bengal,” said Sanyal.
“Our transport department should also mention to their counterparts in Sikkim to abstain from imposing fines on vehicles of Bengal without clear cause and accept digital documents of vehicles. There should be a clear reference to these issues in the new agreement,” he added.