Sandakphu snow revives hope for increase in tourist footfall
Times of India | 9 January 2025
Siliguri: Sandakphu, the highest point in Bengal, received the year's first snowfall, the season's third, on Wednesday. It received up to two inches of snowfall. This area usually receives snowfall from Dec to Feb. The snowfall has brought hopes for the Singalila Land Rovers' Owners Association (SLROA) for tourists flocking back to the region.
The small hamlet, situated at a height of 11,930 feet on the Singalila ridge in the Himalayas, offers panoramic views of the Kanchenjunga, Everest, Makalu, and Lhotse peaks in the Himalayas. The region received its first snowfall on Nov 21 and the second one on Nov 22 last year. The locals said the snowfall would continue further.
The region might receive snowfall during the next two to three days as the weather still stands foul. President of the SLROA, Chandan Pradhan, said the region received snowfall again, but the intensity was higher on Wednesday compared to earlier episodes.
"We are hopeful that the snowfall would draw more tourists to the region. Only five vehicles left for Sandakphu today (Wednesday), which accounts for 30 tourists. The figure has remained the same for the past few days. We are predicting the snowfall will occur again before Jan 14. The snow has disrupted the running water supply in the region as the water has frozen along the supply pipes. We request the tourists to use water judiciouslyas the pipe connections have been disrupted. The locals are trying to clear the pipelines by pouring boiling water, but the pipes are bursting, making it difficult to restore the water connectivity," said Pradhan.
Rajdeep Roy, a resident of Kolkata, shared his enthusiasm on visiting Sandakphu, emphasizing that it is an experience everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. "The best part being that we were lucky to witness snowfall, which is rare for us. The weather at Sandakphu is amazing," said Roy.
Echoing Roy's sentiment, Depan Dey maintained that while they did witness snow, the snowfall itself was a unique experience they had never encountered before.
A local from Sandakphu, Norbu Sherpa, said up to two inches of snow accumulated in 45 minutes of snowfall. "The intensity of snowfall was less, and the roads have not been affected. The tourists can take a vehicle and reach as it has not affected the connectivity. It snowed at around 8 pm yesterday (Tuesday), but the wind melted the snow. It was a bright sunny day in the morning, with tourists enjoying an early sunrise ," said Sherpa.