Dooars still waits as Coronation Bridge cracks under pressure

DECADES OF DELAY

- AMITAVA BANERJEE

DARJEELING: "Baghpool Banchbey Paharo Banchbey, Banchbey Prani o Udhbid Kul; Jodi Gorey Othey, Ei Teestar Buketey Shobar Swapner Ditiyo Baghpool" (the Coronation Bridge will be saved, the Hills will be saved and so will the flora and fauna; if only the second bridge, which is the aspiration of one and all, is constructed on the heart of the River Teesta)—Much water has flown under the Coronation Bridge, monsoons have come and gone; endless protests have been held, yet the demand for a second Sevoke Bridge connecting parts of Dooars to Siliguri still remains unfulfilled. Seeing nothing happen, Jaydip Dutta, a resident of Malbazar, decided to pick up his pen.

"The picturesque land of Dooars specially Sevoke is straight out of the picture postcard. It is a land of tea gardens, forests, rich flora and fauna. It's a strategic, ecological and tourist hotspot. Despite all this road connectivity is a horror. Accidents occur, landslides occur specially during monsoons, precious lives have been lost.