Leaders of several regional political parties and organisations of the Darjeeling hills met at an all-party meeting in Darjeeling on Saturday and renewed their demand for a permanent political solution to the long-pending Gorkhaland issue.
In the meeting, a detailed assessment of ongoing projects was carried out with particular focus on the reconstruction of the Dudhey Bridge, which was destroyed in the devastating landslide in October 2025.
The announcements span almost every district, from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar to Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda, reflecting a strategy aimed at balanced regional development.
A comprehensive review meeting involving the district administrations of Darjeeling and Kalimpong and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) was held at the GTA headquarters in Darjeeling on Wednesday to assess key developmental issues and chart out priorities for the hill region.
Speaking in Parliament on The Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Thursday, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said that decades after Independence, several labour laws drafted during the British era continued to govern the country, describing them as outdated and in need of reform.
In a major boost to infrastructure in the hills, the ministry of road transport and highways, under minister Nitin Gadkari, has initiated the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for an alternative highway to Darjeeling via Lebong, Dabai Pani, and Teesta.
Darjeeling MP and BJP national spokesperson Raju Bista, addressing the 1st triennial general meeting of the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) Beneficiaries Welfare Association, in Siliguri on Saturday, highlighted the transformative developments in India’s healthcare under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, while also stressing the urgent need for expanded health infrastructure in North Bengal.
A wet Thursday morning set the tone for what promises to be a rain-drenched next few days, with the regional Met office forecasting continued showers, gusty winds and potential disruptions across both south and north Bengal.
The Gorkha Youth Activist Network (GYAN), Darjeeling, has formally urged Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) chief executive Anit Thapa to cancel Notification No. 3076-LP/1A-04/23 issued by the West Bengal government and introduce a new scheme for granting land rights in tea garden areas of the GTA region based on ancestral, customary, and continuous possession.
Darjeeling’s scenic charm is being shadowed by an escalating monkey menace that has left both locals and tourists on edge.
