Heavy rain damaged a temporary bridge over the swollen Balason river in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Friday, disrupting vehicular movement between Siliguri and the Mirik subdivision, officials said.

Heavy rain damaged a temporary bridge over the swollen Balason river in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Friday, disrupting vehicular movement between Siliguri and the Mirik subdivision, officials said.

The hume pipe structure at Dudhia had been constructed as an alternative crossing after the collapse of the Dudhia iron bridge in 2025.

"A portion of the temporary hume pipe bridge at Dudhia collapsed after a sudden rise in water level of the river due to incessant rain," an official said.

Following the collapse, authorities diverted vehicular traffic through alternative routes via Pankhabari and Kurseong to maintain connectivity in the region, officials said.

Meanwhile, work on a permanent bridge over the Balason river is in progress. The government has sanctioned more than Rs 51 crore for the construction of a two-lane bridge at the site, another official said.

Locals expressed concern that the collapse of the temporary structure could disrupt daily commuting and transportation in the area until emergency restoration measures are carried out.