Two tea estates which closed down in October last year in Alipurduar district will reopen this month.

The Kalchini and Raimatang tea estates in the Kalchini block have 2,003 and 1,258 workers, respectively. Both the plantations were owned by the same company.

The Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union had been exerting pressure on the labour department to reopen the two gardens.

“Finally, we have found an investor who will take over Kalchini and Raimatang tea plantations. The new company will reopen both gardens this month according to a decision made at a bipartite meeting held in Siliguri yesterday (on Friday). It is a major relief for the workers,” said Birendra Bara, the president of the Trinamool union.

According to him, the Raimatang estate will reopen on December 12 and Kalchini on December 19.

“As and when the gardens will reopen, the workers will be paid eight days' wages, while the staff will receive a month's salary. By February 15 next year, the workers of Raimatang will receive the bonus which has been due since last year,” the union leader said.

Bara said there would be another round of talks within a couple of months to discuss the payment of gratuity and provident fund which had been due for years.

“We thank the new investor for agreeing to reopen the gardens during the lean season (winter) when tea production stops according to the directives of the Tea Board,” said Bara.

Rajesh Barla, the general secretary of the Bharatiya Tea Workers Union, welcomed the development. “We hope the gardens will revive and workers will get wages and other dues. We will extend all possible cooperation to the management,” he said.

Apart from Kalchini and Raimatang, six tea estates are closed in the district now.