Jalpaiguri town witnessed the introduction of a heritage walk, organized by the district administration in association with the local civic body and stakeholders of the tourism industry, on Friday.
Administrative officials said the walk, which covered a 7 km long route, was introduced to promote the town’s rich heritage and historical sites. It was initiated during the Jalpaiguri Utsav, which is currently being held in the town. The aim is to create a roadmap for conserving heritage sites and buildings and explore their tourism potential.
Priyadarshini Bhattacharya, the additional district magistrate (land reforms) who joined the walk, said the administration plans to develop a comprehensive document detailing the sites and their histories to attract local and outstation visitors.
“Plans are underway to initiate a heritage tourism circuit in the city,” she said.
The walk commenced from the Jalpaiguri municipality area. Participants donned caps emblazoned with ‘Heritage Walk’ and carried banners and umbrellas displaying images of heritage sites and a tableau highlighting them.
The first stop was the century-old Baptist church at Nayabasti, followed by visits to the old building of the main post office, the historic office of a local newspaper, the Iron House (once a dance hall of the Cooch Behar royals), the Town Club, and St. Michael and All Angels Church.
“In each site, the team assessed the state of the property and discussed strategies for preservation,” said a source.
During the walk, Sabyasachi Roy, a tourism enthusiast, and Tomojeet Chakraborty, the SDO of Jalpaiguri Sadar, shared insights into each property’s historical significance.
While Roy emphasised the potential of leveraging the heritage sites for tourism development and drew a comparison with initiatives in Cooch Behar, the SDO said that the administration is committed to preserving the architectural sites.
Reverend David Hansda of St. Michael & All Angels Church said the church has ties to European tea planters from the early days of the regional tea industry.
“Incorporating these stories would draw visitors,” he said.
The administration has enlisted two trained tour guides for the walk and plans to expand this team to streamline the management of the heritage tourism circuit. “People can walk with them to learn more about the historical spots,” said a source.
Representatives of the administration, the civic body, and tourism stakeholders were joined by students, government employees, and some residents who participated in the walk enthusiastically.
“The initiative, aligned with the recommendations of the state heritage commission in 2017 to designate some sites as heritage, is a significant step toward reviving Jalpaiguri’s rich cultural and historical legacy,” said Roy.