We had a very horrible experience with Ichhey Tours and Travels, 109/19, Hazra Road, Kolkata – 700026.( http://www.ichheytoursntravels.com)(Phn No.-(033)2474-0286/2485-2502/9007008041/9007008042) recently and would like to share our bitter experience with this travel agent and advice all not to travel with this travel agent and no one should falls in this trap again. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THEM! Just one week back, we had visited SILK ROUTE(East Sikkim) through a trip conducted by Icche Tours & Travels. Journey start date 8th October’2016 & return date is 16th October, 2016. In our group we consist of 21 persons(consisting 7 Female, Male 9, 2 child & 3 Sr, Citizens) and a Manager in our Group. This was the first time we went with Icche Tour & Travels and had booked through them after seeing their regular advertisement in renowned daily Bengali Newspaper Anandabazar Patrika. The lady owner of ICHHEYTours & Travels / Elite Travels(Mrs. Moumita Maitra/Ghosh) promised us the best of service and comfort at the time of payment. We all paid the entire amount(Rs,16,000/- per head Package cost+ train fare+ Service Tax) before seven days, of starting of our Journey. The package amount is almost double from other tour operators. We had visited her office thrice to enquire about the details and verify if any issues are there. But every time, we were told that the entire arrangements was done at Silk Route and we are committed to give our best service. We were introduced to the manager who will be in charge of the tour and accompany us to Silk Route tour(Mr. Joydeb). Our package trip is for 8 Nights 9 Days - departure from Kolkata on 8th Oct’2016 via Pahariya Express(Digha to NJP). We were charged a total of approximately Rs.16,000(Sixteen thousand only) for the trip to cover accommodation, transportation, fooding & lodging. We were assured for well-furnished hotel in Silk Route area for 6 nights stay and for transportation Bolero/Tata Sumo/Innova will be arranged at the time of bookings. After reaching at NJP station on 9th Oct’2016 around 11.00 AM, we have seen that no transportation is arranged at NJP station. After taking breakfast(2 Alo Parotas) we all gone to Siliguri bus stand(By Auto) and from there we reached to Ravangla by route jeep(on per head basis). At Ravangla we stayed at Hotel Rabong Valley where the accommodation and fooding arrangement is very very poor and also not as per the commitment. We stayed there 9th & 10th Oct’2016 and on 11th Oct’2016 morning we started for Limthung. We stopped at Rangpo for Tea Break and our Drivers started threating us that they will not move further unless Ichhey Trour & travels will settle the transportation amount of last 2 days. We gone to Rongpo Police station for filing the complaint. They have contacted Ichhey Tours & Travels Agent Mr. Subtrata Nayia – 9231990706 & Subrata Halder – 8017959582 and forced them to settle the transportation amount at the earliest. After 4 hours halt we started for Rangoli where the agents give our drivers part payment. After that we proceed for Limthung and reached there around 6.00 PM in the evening. There we have put up in three different Home stays in three different locations and for fooding/tea/BF we have to walk down for 1 Km from our stay. Like earlier the accommodation and fooding arrangement is worst. Next day 12th Oct’2016 we are supposed to go for local side but the same is cancelled because of some unknown reason and we gone to Rolep and stayed there at night. 4 of our members returned to NJP for this type of mismanagement and harresment. Next day 13th Oct’2016 we are supposed to go to Gnathang and N/S there. But no transport and permit is arranged by their agents(Mr. Subtrata Nayia – 9231990706 & Subrata Halder – 8017959582) and we are pushed out from the hotel at Rolep at 9.00 AM. We all stayed on the road for 4 Hours and around 3.00 PM we proceed to Rongoli Police station by the advice of SDPO Sikkim for lodging a complaint against the travel agent and the local agents. We have lodged a GD at Rongoli PS bearing No.228 dt. 13th Oct’2016. Police station incharge contacted their two agents Mr. Subtrata Nayia & Subrata Halder and told them to come immediately to PS for interrogation. From there we decided to return to NJP but due to bad weather and landslide PS station incharge told us to stay back. At 9.00 PM both the travel agents insists us in front of the PS station incharge to go back to ROLEP again for N/S and they will provide us the best possible arrangement. But after reaching the Rolep hotel we seen that on 4 rooms are available and we all have to accommodate ourselves(17 members) in these rooms only. By no means we have stayed there as it is raining heavily outside and the time is around 10.00 PM. at night. Next day 14th Oct’2016 the agents have not taken us any places for side scene and we all stayed inside the hotel in these 4 rooms only. On 15th Oct’2016 we are supposed to return to NJP but that two agents Mr. Subtrata Nayia & Subrata Halder has not arranged any transportation and threatened us to settle the bills of hotel and transportation else they will not let us to move from the hotel. While we contact the owner of the travels she told us the entire amount is paid to those agents but the agents version is the owner has not paid the amount which we have to settle before vacation the hotel. Litterally we are hostage in the hotel with no fooding arrangement. Agents are very adamant and they are not allowing us to go out of the rooms. The owner of the Travels(Mrs. Moumita Maitra/Ghosh) has put her phone switched off. After great difficulties we have settle the transportation amount from our pocket and arranged for route jeeps. Around 12.30 PM we started from Rolep and when we reached NJP station we have seen that KAMRUP Express has left NJP. We tried to call the owner of the travel agency but her phone was switched off / unreachable. After that we went to Siliguri Bus stand and from there we all purchased the bus ticket and returned Kolkata next day on 16th Oct’2016 morning. The owner of the Travel agency has not even contacted that how we have reached Kolkata, rather the owner has been a pain to talk to us, as usual, for her adamant and belligerent nature. I know this has been a long read, but I wanted to share each and every detail, so that no one falls again in the trap of IchheyTours and Travels / Elite Tours and Travels. They have been worst in terms of travel arrangements, accommodation, fooding, tour management, behaviour among all tour operators we have travelled with so far. I will post my experience in all Mouth shut, major customer forums, IndiaMike, complaint sites, and even am trying to publish our ordeal in the media/newspapers if possible. I would request you to please help us in this regard. Candidates in our group is mentioned below:
Sl. No. Name of the person Address Count of famiy member Mobile no.
1 Rabindranath Mandal Purba Putiary, Tollygunge 7 9874182456
2 Pritam Roy Chowdhury Dumdum Park, Kolkata – 700055 2 7044068541
3 Sidhartha Banerjee Kaikhali, Kolkata – 700052 2 9433000514
4 Pratap Srimani Gopal Lal Thakur Road. Kolkata – 700036 2 9674051651
5 M. Uddin Dankuni 4 9163700704
