Opening Doorz

By Sudeep Sonawane | Opening Doorz Editorial | August 26, 2025

Before you think of Himalayan treks or Darjeeling tea, pause to notice Siliguri’s buzzing tuk-tuks. These rickety, yet reliable three-wheelers may not win a Formula One race, but they’ll give you something far better… fair fares, cheerful drivers, and a ringside view of the city’s chaos.

Hiring an auto-rickshaw and dealing with most drivers in Siliguri is a pleasant experience. Indian and foreign tourists would love it. However, commuting in the iron frame silent electric 1 to 2-horsepower rickshaws is not an enjoyable experience because of the narrow, ramshackle, and rickety roads. The roads further worsen during the monsoon.

People in Siliguri call auto-rickshaws tuk-tuks. Battery-powered tuk-tuks outnumber petrol and diesel versions. Tuk-tuk drivers here are honest and do not bargain, unlike auto-rickshaw and taxi-drivers in Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Surat. This is surprising because tuk-tuks do not have electronic meters to measure fares. Despite this, most tuk-tuk drivers quote standard fare. They do not fleece tourists and visitors from other Indian states. I am a suitable candidate for fleecing! Standing six-feet two inches tall, plus my Mumbaikar looks and white hair. Lost most of it, but more than the number of runs Karun Nair scored during the Test series against England!

The white crew cut gives me a retired army man’s disposition, according to some Siligurians here. I do not look like a local, yet tuk-tuk drivers do not overcharge me!

Honest Fares in the Hills

Autorickshaw drivers here do not quote fares based on the person’s appearance. They charge the standard rate of INR 10 a person for a shared ride with four or five passengers for 5.5 km from Milan More to Champasari Junction. Not one autorickshaw driver charged me more than the normal fare during the four months I lived in Siliguri.

Despite the army officer’s appearance, auto-rickshaw drivers regularly ‘loot’ me in Surat and Delhi, two cities where I often commute! The 12-km ride from Bhatha to Surat railway station costs anywhere between INR 180-200, depending on the passenger’s bargaining skill.

Tuk-tuk drivers compete with one another for passengers. A plethora of tuk-tuks ply on congested Siliguri roads. I told my local host in jest, “Tuk-tuks outnumber residents in Siliguri.” “Jobs, even menial ones, are few here. This compels many to ply tuk-tuks,” he replied.

A tuk-tuk ride in Siliguri costs less than a cup of coffee in London.

Tuk-tuks outnumber residents in Siliguri

Next time you head to Darjeeling or North Bengal, start your journey with a tuk-tuk ride in Siliguri... you’ll understand the city’s rhythm right away.

Struggles of Tuk-Tuk Drivers

Tuk-tuk driver Mithun Paswan agrees that competition makes profitability difficult. “If I earn around INR 600, it would be a good day’s work. Sometimes I barely return home with INR 500,” says the young man who previously worked in Ahmedabad for a few years. Several tuk-tuk drivers I spoke with say INR 500-600 a day is the average. Charging the battery and other maintenance costs significantly trim their earnings.

A tuk-tuk costs between INR 80,000-175,000, depending on the features and the horsepower. The cheaper ones have just 1hp while the costly ones crank up to 2hp. Tuk-tuks made by Saarthi DLX, YC Yatri Super, and Hooghly Motors Butterfly are popular here. I travelled in a branded tuk-tuk (Mahindra Treo), which costs around INR 220,000. It costs more because the ride is smoother and faster.

Running on battery, the silent and eco-friendly tuk-tuk ride is smooth and enjoyable. The traveller will face traffic congestion in Sisabari, Mahismari, Debidanga, Ansul, Champasari, and Pradhan Nagar. Pedestrians, hawkers, cars, vans, bikes, scooters, bicycles, and a multitude of cattle compete for space on the narrow roads. Traffic is sparse near Gulma railway station near Mahananda River.

The Roadblocks of Siliguri

Slow speed around 25 km/hour is the downside of tuk-tuks. The commute is time-consuming, and the bad condition of the roads makes it worse. Tuk-tuks are the main cause of traffic snarls in Siliguri. Their crawling presence irks people driving 70 to 110 bhp car brands such as Suzuki, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, Tata, and Mahindra.

Besides tuk-tuks, there are mini vans. These comfortably seat 10 riders (two next to the driver, three each on the second and third row seats, and two in the rear). This is another cheap transport here. Milan More mini-van drivers charge INR 10 for the shared ride up to Champasari and INR 30 up to New Jalpaiguri railway station. Large buses also ply within Siliguri city, and to Darjeeling and Kishangunj.

People speak Nepali, Bangla, Sadri, and Hindi here. A small percentage of Manipuris and Nagas speak English, apart from their tribal dialect. In Champasari, most autorickshaw drivers speak Nepali, Bangla, and the Bihari version of Hindi. Dealing fairly with passengers is their common trait despite language and cultural diversity.

Taxis, Tourism, and the Army Buzz

I cannot write the same appraisal about taxi drivers here. Most charge exorbitantly. Some drivers quote INR 800 to 900 for an 18-km ride from Bagdogra Airport to Sisabari. A long-distance ride to Darjeeling city costs around INR 4,000 to 4,500 for a return journey. It could cost far less if you share the mountain ride.

The sounds of traffic, athletic soldiers riding army vehicles, and helicopters crisscrossing the sky create a constant buzz in Siliguri throughout the day. The presence of the Army and Air Force is significant in this region. India places a strong emphasis on its defense in north Bengal, particularly because the Darjeeling district is located in the strategically important Chicken’s Neck area. This area shares borders with Nepal to the northwest, Bhutan to the north, and Bangladesh to the east.

10 Rupees to Adventure: The Tuk-Tuk Traveller’s Handbook

Tuk-Tuk Features

• Mostly battery-powered (eco-friendly, but slow at 25 km/h)
• Cost for drivers: ₹80,000–₹1,75,000 (premium ones like Mahindra Treo ~₹2,20,000)
• Popular brands: Saarthi DLX, YC Yatri Super, Hooghly Motors Butterfly

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