Newz Desk, Durgapur: A series of tourist deaths at Sandakphu has sparked serious concern across travel circles and administrative quarters. Questions are being raised about why visitors are being allowed to climb to the 12,000-ft peak on the Bengal–Nepal border without any mandatory health screening, despite the region’s known oxygen shortage and lack of medical infrastructure.
Located in the high-altitude Singalila range of Darjeeling district, Sandakphu attracts thousands of visitors every year. But with oxygen levels significantly lower than in the plains, tourists with pre-existing health issues often face severe breathing difficulties. The absence of emergency medical facilities on the route has only intensified the risks. In many cases, transporting an unwell tourist downhill results in further complications, and accidents have continued to rise.
Darjeeling SDO Richard Lepcha said the administration has identified land to set up a health facility at Sandakphu. “Once the infrastructure is ready, stricter enforcement of health-related guidelines will be possible. For now, tourists planning to visit Sandakphu are advised to undergo a health check,” he said.
However, the absence of mandatory screening became evident once again following Monday’s incident. A 72-year-old tourist from Jadavpur, Kolkata, died shortly after reaching Sandakphu due to acute breathlessness caused by oxygen deficiency. This has raised uncomfortable questions: How was a senior citizen with age-related vulnerabilities permitted to travel to such an altitude? Why was there no system to flag or restrict at-risk tourists? GTA (Gorkhaland Territorial Administration) officials have reportedly avoided direct answers.
This is not an isolated case. Over the past years, multiple tourists have fallen ill or lost their lives at Sandakphu:
- April 15, 2024: A tourist from East Burdwan, Raj Narayan De, passed away.
- Earlier in 2024: A tourist from Uttar Dinajpur died under similar circumstances.
- October 2022: An Israeli trekker died in his sleep during a trek from Manebhanjan to Sandakphu.
- November 21, 2022: A Kolkata resident from Bhawanipur lost his life while visiting Sandakphu.
- December 4, 2022: Another tourist from Ashoknagar, North 24-Parganas, died during a trip.
The repeated fatalities have triggered intense debate over GTA’s preparedness and accountability. Locals and tourism stakeholders allege that promises of establishing a primary health centre at Sandakphu remain unfulfilled. Despite assurances, no functional medical facility has come up so far.
As tourist deaths continue to mount, the central question remains:
How long before meaningful safeguards—like compulsory health checks and proper medical infrastructure—are put in place to prevent avoidable tragedies in Bengal’s most popular high-altitude destination?
