Normalcy in Darjeeling Hills as GJM suspends stir for day

Normalcy was today restored in the Darjeeling hills as the GJM announced a day's respite in their indefinite stir to demand a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Large queues were seen before ATMs since 5:00 AM in the morning with people not waiting for bank counters to open at 10:00 am.

Shop and markets were open, but there was no stock of vegetables, rice or lentils, reports said.

Taxis and North Bengal State Transport Corporation buses from Siliguri were on the roads in greater number in the three hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kurseong and Kalimpong.

North Bengal Development minister, Gautam Deb said that 22 NBSTC buses were on the roads.

As the shut down will continue tomorrow, the student wing of the GJM would decided whether schools and colleges would be allowed to reopen.

A team of GJM legislators, past and present, would go to New Delhi tomorrow to meet Congress and BJP leaders on the Gorkhaland demand.

This would be followed on September 2 and 3 by the 'Ghar Bhitra Janta' with people staying indoors.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to visit Kalimpong on September three at the invitation of the Lepchas.

On August 29, the chief minister had renewed her appeal to the GJM for restoration of normalcy in the hills.

The Calcutta High Court had on August 14 expressed displeasure over the GJM's violation of its order of August 7 which had held the indefinite bandh in Darjeeling as illegal.