“Tourism potential in Darjeeling and the forests of Dooars and Terai region of North Bengal has certainly been affected by the agitation,” Mukherjee said at a chamber of commerce in Kolkata.

“We understand that the negative impact of the happenings there will not go away from the people’s minds soon but we hope the situation will improve as soon as possible,” he said.

Thousands of tourists were stranded in Darjeeling town and several other destinations in North Bengal because of the indefinite bandh call by the GJM.

Tourists were beaten up, their vehicles damaged or set on fire at different places by the agitators. Travellers from across the country as well as many foreign tourists had to go through a nightmarish experience and had to pay through their nose to come down to Siliguri.