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Independence, several labour laws drafted during the British era continued to govern the country, describing them as outdated and in need of reform.
Although elected members of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) met the Centre-appointed interlocutor Pankaj Kumar Singh in Darjeeling, GTA Chief Anit Thapa chose to remain absent.
The project Is being implemented in four phases. The first phase, connecting Khunia More to Kumani More over a stretch of 11.86 km, has already been completed. The second phase, linking Kumani More to Gairibas across 9 km, was inaugurated on 7 December 2025 by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, accompanied by Siliguri MLA Dr Shankar Ghosh, called on Union minister of railways Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Darjeeling, the queen of hills, is grappling with a persistent and worsening traffic crisis, especially during the peak tourist season.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also joined the chorus, demanding justice for Prakriti and other students who were allegedly assaulted during protests following her death.
Following an order from the West Bengal government on 2 November, 2023, the district administration has begun surveying tea garden lands in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Darjeeling MP Raju Bista has strongly opposed chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to allow 30 per cent of tea garden land to be diverted for non-tea purposes, calling it a “dangerous and dictatorial” policy that could displace indigenous communities.
The scenic town of Darjeeling is all set to host the much-anticipated second edition of the 'Darjeeling Melo Tea Fest' 2024, a vibrant celebration of tea, music, and culture.
