Transport entrepreneurs in Pashupatinagar, a town in Ilam district, are among the hardest-hit by the political turbulence in Darjeeling. Although Pashupatinagar is a small town, local transport entrepreneurs used to be busy all the time before GJM launched its agitation for a separate state of Gorkhaland within India.
A significant number of people from Nepal wishing to visit Darjeeling would catch a bus from Pashupatinagar. Those of them working in Darjeeling city, Kurseong or Kalimpong would also enter Nepal through Pashupatinagar. A number of Indian tourists from West Bengal would choose the Darjeeling-Pashupatinagar route to visit Nepal.
With GJM intensifying its agitation, the flow of passengers has declined drastically. "Before the agitation started, our buses would always be jam-packed," says Agniraj Subba, who works at the ticket booking counter of Darjeeling Express bus company. "Now, there are no passengers. Our buses are in the garage."
At least two night buses used to leave for Kathmandu from Pashupatinagar every day. But now that service is almost out of operation. "Our bus service would rely heavily on people coming from Darjeeling," says Milan Chhetri, who works with Mahalaxmi Travels. "But now they have stopped coming and we are facing a big crisis."
Amar Gole, who makes a living driving a van hired mostly by tourists, says around 50 van drivers like himself have been almost entirely without work since the Gorkhaland movement began early this month. "As long as the shutdown continues in Darjeeling, we will have no work," he says.
Local people, especially those from Jamuna, Mabu, Jogmai, Pyang, Gorkhe, Shri Antu, Pashupatinagar and Samalbung VDCs of Ilam district, are also facing hard times in the wake of the Gorkhaland movement. As GJM continues to enforce its indefinite strike, people from these VDCs are unable to visit Darjeeling to seek medical care. Before the strike began, they would rather go to Darjeeling for medical services than to other Nepali towns.
"Only a few people used to visit us as we do not have adequate manpower and equipment," says Dr Krishna Prasad Chaudhari, chief of Area Health Office, Pashupatinagar. "They would depend on government and private health facilities in Darjeeling if they needed medical services. Now, they are unable to go to Darjeeling, or even Siligudi."
Although the ambulance service has not been disrupted by the agitators, locals say not all of them can afford the ambulance fees, which are higher than the fares charged by ordinary vans.
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