Community Achievement: Locals Build "Gorkhaland Bridge" Near Darjeeling Without Government Support

The community-built bridge faced numerous sabotage attempts, according to local residents.

Guwahati:

Residents near Darjeeling, West Bengal, demonstrated remarkable community spirit by pooling their personal finances to construct a bridge over Tungsung Khola. This vital infrastructure now connects Tungsung tea estate with Dhotrey valley, filling a critical transportation gap without any government assistance.

The locals proudly named their collaborative achievement "Gorkhaland Bridge."

Indian Gorkha Janshakti Front (IGJF) chief Ajoy Edwards officially inaugurated the bridge during a ceremony held on Sunday.

According to community members, sixteen local societies collaborated on this infrastructure project without receiving any governmental support. They describe the bridge as a powerful symbol of collective determination, built despite alleged government opposition. The Edwards Foundation and IGJF provided crucial support throughout the construction process.

During the inauguration, Edwards spoke about the sacrifices made during the broader Gorkhaland movement, describing it as the essential "heartbeat" of Gorkha cultural identity.

He emphasized that the bridge demonstrates the community's potential when united, stating, "If united, Gorkhas can achieve anything."

The project reportedly encountered significant obstacles during construction. Edwards mentioned police intimidation, blockades of construction materials, and harassment of project coordinators like Suraj Tamang.

Despite these challenges and what Edwards described as "all means of coercion," the determined residents completed the bridge through voluntary labor. Edwards provided construction materials after repeated requests to the Gorkaland Territorial Authority (GTA) and West Bengal government allegedly went unanswered.

Edwards called on the government to address the region's neglect. The bridge's inauguration was celebrated by all participants as a significant triumph of community resilience and determination.