DARJEELING,: A committee comprising of local
residents and spearheaded by Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards has initiated
the construction of a glass walk on a neglected British-era hanging bridge at
Balabas, located about 11 km from Darjeeling.
This
project follows the recent completion of a 145-foot-long concrete bridge constructed
by the same committee. The concrete bridge was a community effort with locals
contributing manual labour and materials. Edwards contributed over Rs. 20 lakhs
in building materials and funds.
“When
we were building the concrete bridge, we saw a big opportunity for tourism in
the area," Edwards explained. “We discussed ways to promote adventure
tourism and decided to convert the old British-era bridge into a glass bridge.”
An
engineer's assessment confirmed the feasibility of the conversion. The
committee plans to strengthen the bridge and replace its wooden sections with
glass. Work on the 30-foot-long glass bridge has already begun, and once
completed, it will be a unique attraction in West Bengal.
In
addition to the glass bridge, Edwards shared plans for adventure tourism. “We
are considering introducing rock climbing on the nearby rock face and
discussing this with the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. We also plan to
start a zip line between the bridges and offer swimming facilities in one of
the rivers.”
Edwards
highlighted the historical significance of the area, mentioning the Chota
Rangit River leading to Sidrapong, Asia's first hydel project. "A
downriver trek from Sidrapong can be another attraction. We also plan to
convert the incomplete bridge with its seven-foot-tall pillars into a coffee
shop."
Emphasizing
the non-political nature of the committee, Edwards stated, "If the
committee approaches Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, the GTA and the Central
government, we can secure funds to expedite the project. Even without external
funding, we are committed to completing this within one to two years." e.
