We have come across fights over land, border, sea territory and even Indian sweets. For example, Rosogolla has West Bengal and Orissa at loggerheads and Chennai claims authority over Mysore Pak whereas it’s common knowledge that the sweet is indigenous to Karnataka (Mysore). In the list of burgeoning conflicts, you can add ownership of a particular variant of vintage cars too.
Read More: Land Rovers Of Darjeeling Hills
Image Credits: Indiangorkhas
An agency named Singalila Land Rover Owner’s Association happens to be a renowned taxi operator in the foothills of Lesser Himalayas, under the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. As the name suggests, these taxis are antique beasts whose number would be around 60. The vehicles are mostly Series I Land Rovers belonging to the post-British era (1948-1960), a time when the Colonial reign ended as the country attained independence and Britishers were preparing to return to England. A journey on this half a century old car would be something to cherish forever.
Image Credits: Telegraph India
These Land Rovers are used solely for tourism purposes to ferry passengers from Maney Bhanjyang to Sandakphu on the Indo-Nepal border. It’s the prized possession of this association and also a lifeline for those in the remote terrain as commute becomes easier on roads strewn with stone boulders. Surprisingly, this association is the largest operator of Land Rover vehicles in entire Southeast Asia and there are debates and controversy over their claim of being the biggest in the world.
The claim is of intrinsic worth, and when the name of our motherland is attached to such pride and honour then it’s sheer ecstasy. Considering their enthusiasm and high spirit for driving the beasts, maintaining it with so much attention to detail, the owner of the generous number of vehicles deserves the label of the largest Land Rover taxi operator in the world.
