Monday, Mar 20, 2023 07:15 [IST]
Last Update: Monday, Mar 20, 2023 01:34 [IST]
DARJEELING,: Scooty services are now available at Bhutia Basti for the local
residents who had to walk all the way up to the main Darjeeling town along the
narrow and steep road.
Bhutia
Basti is about 1.5 km away from the main town and the uphill walk was difficult
for the local residents, especially the ill and elderly.
Two-wheeler
services are already operational in different parts of the country and in
Darjeeling, the first of its kind started last year by an enterprising youth
Satyadeep Rai (35) from Bhutia Basti. Many youths followed suit from the area
this year.
“I
started the scooter service last year. The main reason I started itwas looking
at the problems being faced by my mother along with otherelders in the village
who must walk the steep route upwards toChowrasta to reach town. The road to
town is not only verysteep but also narrow with difficult corners for vehicles
to come toour village,” said Rai.
There
are several elderly citizens in our locality and among them, a 90-year-old is
my regular passenger, he added.
There
is a route for a vehicle downhill till onereaches the main road at Lebong.
However, the distance to town is more than 8 km and an expensive trip if a
person books a vehicle. The other option is to walk about 20 minutes downhill
and then wait for a shared taxi, a time consuming process especially during
emergencies.
“It
is during medical emergencies that people face most problems or when they have
to carry something heavy. Anambulance does come here but what about those who
are not seriously sick? They too have to go to the doctor. This is when the scooterservice helps the
people,” said Rai.
Students
also take his services available daily from 6 am to about 7 pm.
Rai
drops the students at Chowrasta where they can catch the school bus. He charges
Rs. 30 till Chowrasta, Rs. 90 till town and Rs. 150 both ways.
The
fares are not much and I am doing this to mainly help the people, he adds.
“Earlier
I had about 30 to 35 passengers daily but now I have only 10to 15 passengers a
day with more scooter services starting in the areasince this year,” Rai said.
Local
resident Madan Subba (62) said: “Thescooter service has provided a lot of help
to us, mainly the old andsick people. This was started by Satyadeep first but
now manyunemployed youths have also started this. Earlier it was tough for us to
walk all the way up to Chowrasta and now it is much easier for us.”