A 30-kilometre stretch of the NH10, the lifeline of Sikkim and Kalimpong, will remain closed for three days from Sunday evening as landslides and cave-ins have occurred at multiple locations of the highway.
On Sunday, the National Highway & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which maintains the NH10, announced the closure of the Coronation Bridge (Sevoke)-Chitrey stretch of the highway.
In the notice, it has been said that the stretch would completely remain closed to traffic from 8pm on Sunday to 6pm on Wednesday.
Over the past few days, consistent monsoonal downpour triggered landslides in some locations, while in some other places, a portion of the road, which runs parallel to the Teesta river, caved in.
On Sunday, a cave-in was reported at Swetijhora on NH10, which is between Sevoke and Teesta Bazar. The road also developed cracks, making it vulnerable for vehicles to ply through the site.
Also, a landslide occurred at Kataray, which is along the Pedong-Rishi road in Kalimpong, an alternative route to Sikkim. Work has started at the site to clear the road, said sources.
“Due to rainfall, the condition of the NH10 between 29th Mile and Geilkhola is also vulnerable. In the morning, a few vehicles moved through the route,” said a source in the Kalimpong district administration.
Because of such conditions, the movement of heavy vehicles has been completely stopped from Sikkim to Siliguri and vice-versa.
Sources in the Kalimpong district police said that because of the closure of the 30km stretch of NH10, light vehicles can take three other alternative roads to reach Gangtok from Siliguri and vice-versa.
These are the Siliguri-Jorbungalow-Teesta Bazaar-Rangpo-Gangtok, the Siliguri-Sevoke-Damdim-Gorubathan-Lava-Alagarah-Rangpo-Gangtok, and Siliguri-Sevoke-Bagrakote- Lava-Alagarah-Rangpo-Gangtok. The third one is through NH717A.
Transporters are worried at the latest closure.
“On one hand, this means it will take more time to reach Kalimpong and Sikkim. On the other hand, the fuel costs will also be higher. Additionally, if the weather doesn’t improve soon, there is always a risk of more landslides and cave-ins,” said a transporter in Siliguri.
The rainfall in the hills has also swelled the Teesta river.
Downstream, the Teesta river has flooded Totgaon, an area on its left bank in
the Malbazar block of Jalpaiguri district.
Sources said that because of the flooding, over 40 families have shifted to safer places. Some abandoned their houses, dismantling doors and windows and carrying away their belongings.