The Centre is planning to build viaducts and steel structures to bypass landslide-prone stretches along NH10, the principal highway connecting Sikkim and Kalimpong, in an attempt to tackle the recurring landslide issue.
Sikkim MP Indra Hang Subba stated that officials from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) assured that the agency has begun drawing up plans to implement this new approach.
Subba met Krishan Kumar, chairman and managing director of NHIDCL, in New Delhi on Monday, and urged the agency to deploy more manpower and machinery, and identify vulnerable spots to prevent further landslides.
“I suggested identifying vulnerable locations along the existing alignment and strengthening them so that the next monsoon floods do not trigger landslides on the valley side of the road,” the MP wrote in a Facebook post after the meeting.
According to Subba, NHIDCL’s technical director shared plans to construct viaducts and steel bypasses across stretches that were badly affected during the recent rainy season. The goal is to complete the work before the next monsoon.
The MP also enquired about the proposal for a new or alternative alignment for the existing NH10 to ensure long-term and reliable connectivity.
“I also urged the NHIDCL to expedite the preparation and sanctioning of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the same,” wrote Subba.
The highway, which was severely damaged after the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) on the Teesta river last October, has suffered recurring landslides and cave-ins, disrupting normal life and crippling the economy of Sikkim and the hills in north Bengal.
Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) has stated that the state loses around ₹100 crore per day when the highway is closed.
Stakeholders from the tourism industry have also appealed to both the Centre and the governments of Sikkim and Bengal to take immediate and coordinated measures to resolve the issue.
The NHIDCL officially took over a 52km stretch of NH10 from the state PWD on December 26. It now functions under the Union ministry of road transport and highways.
The agency is currently working on the restoration of the 29th Mile stretch of the highway, where all vehicular movement has been suspended from October 13 to 16 for safety reasons.