Raju Bista, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, on Saturday visited the affected stretches of the NH10, the principal highway that connects Sikkim and Kalimpong with Siliguri, to take stock of the situation.

The MP also held a meeting with officials of the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), NHPC and IRCON for details on the current state of the highway.

The NHIDCL, which maintains the highway, has closed a 30km stretch of it from Sevoke to Chitrey in Kalimpong due to multiple landslides and cave-ins. According to its latest order issued on Friday, the stretch will remain closed till Sunday evening owing
to repairs.

“We held the meeting to address the issue of the NH10 and find holistic solutions to the perennial problems of landslides, cave-ins and erosion. I will update the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) and the central government on the outcome of today (Saturday)’s meeting,” Bista said.

In recent days, landslides have occurred at Selfiedara, 27th Mile, 18th Mile, and cave-ins at Swetijhora, all located within this 30km stretch.

As a result, the NHIDCL had to stop traffic on this stretch for repairs as as well as for the safety of commuters. Vehicles going to Sikkim and Kalimpong from Siliguri and vice-versa are taking detours.

Earlier, the Bengal part of the NH10, which is 52.1km long, was maintained by the NH division of the Bengal PWD. However, in December last year, MoRTH handed over its maintenance to the NHIDCL.

On Saturday, Bista went to Bhasua, between Sevoke Bazar and Kalijhora, where NHIDCL officials told him that it was currently in the process of widening a 150-metre-long stretch of the road by 12 metres. They are also carrying out a 38-metre-long slope protection work and constructing drains on the mountainside, they said.

The highway runs parallel to the Teesta river.

“The officials of NHIDCL explained how they are constructing a protection wall from the base itself so that landslides are controlled and the road is protected from further erosion,” Bista said.

He also visited Selfiedara, where multiple landslides have occurred this monsoon.

The MP also said that the NHIDCL appointed a project management consultant to work on developing a sustainable alignment for the NH10.

“The NHIDCL is clearing the debris from the highway, but unstable slopes and ongoing rain have slowed progress. The central agency has appointed a project management consultant who has been mandated to work on a long-term and sustainable alignment for the NH10,” he said.

Later, the MP also visited some parts of the ongoing Sevoke-Rangpo railway project that is coming up along the NH10. “Work is going on in full swing, and we expect the project to be complete by 2027,” said Bista.