Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday said the situation in the northern parts of the state, which have been witnessing heavy rain, was under control, with the administration closely monitoring affected areas and undertaking restoration work on a war footing amid forecasts of more downpour.

Speaking at the state secretariat Nabanna, Adhikari said river conditions remained stable despite incessant rainfall since Thursday night.

"The river conditions are under control. The damage in Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, Rangli Rangliot area, and Kharibari and Mirik blocks has been assessed. A minor landslide took place on NH-10 and has been cleared," he said.

Referring to another landslide, the chief minister said debris on Lebong Cart Road near Loreto Convent School in Darjeeling municipality area had also been cleared.

"The situation is under control. We could restore normalcy within five to six hours," he said.

Adhikari said the major challenge was the washing away of the Dudhia bridge, an important link road in the Darjeeling hills.

"The Dudhia bridge was completely washed away. As a result, diversions had to be arranged. The Public Works Department has already taken up restoration work and it will require four to five days to complete. Cost and financial approvals have already been granted as it is a very important road," he said.

He expressed hope that the work would be completed within the stipulated period despite adverse weather forecasts.

Referring to the collapse of the bridge, Adhikari said the quality of construction would be examined after restoration work was completed.

"In less than a year after it was constructed, a new bridge has been washed away. We will certainly examine whether there was any irregularity in the construction. At the moment, however, our priority is restoration of this important road," he said.

The chief minister said PWD engineers, district administration officials and construction materials had already been mobilised at the site.

Adhikari also said a four-year-old child died in a rain-related incident at a tea garden in the Hasimara area of Alipurduar district.

"This is very unfortunate. We have provided compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family," he said.

According to the chief minister, senior district officials and Darjeeling MP Raju Bista visited the affected areas and reviewed the situation.

He said there were no major reports of tourists being stranded despite disruptions caused by rain and landslides.

"If anyone is stranded, we are bringing them back through diversion routes at the government's expense. I am confident that all those stranded will be brought to safety," he said.

The state government had already put precautionary measures in place to minimise damage and avoid a repeat of last year's devastation in the hills, Adhikari said.

"We do not want a repetition of the 2025 disaster. We have taken precautionary measures and are taking all necessary steps to contain the damage," he said.

"From early this morning, we have remained alert and will continue to do so. The government is closely monitoring the situation in north Bengal," the chief minister added.

Adhikari said a landslide alert system is being developed along with the GSI.

"This is a time-taking matter. Money will not be a problem," he said.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.