The landslides and flash floods across Bengal’s sub-Himalayan regions left hundreds of tourists stranded in the hills and several areas of Dooars on Sunday, although some highways were reopened in the afternoon and evening.

Major routes — including the Subash Ghisingh Marg, which links Siliguri with Kurseong, and NH10, the primary highway to Sikkim and Kalimpong — were cut off by landslide debris and road cave-ins.

Traffic along the NH110 — which connects Darjeeling with Siliguri — resumed partially in the afternoon after debris was removed from the highway. In the evening, a trickle of vehicles resumed along the freshly cleared NH10, too.

Some tourists in the Dooars were evacuated on elephant back.

With hill tourists forced to put off their descent to the plains earlier in the day, many missed their flights, trains or buses. With many others keen to advance their departure from the hills out of panic, chief minister Mamata Banerjee posted a message of reassurance on her official X handle.

“We are advising tourists in north Bengal to stay where they are until our police teams can evacuate them safely. The cost of rescue will be borne by us — tourists need not worry,” she wrote.

The North Bengal State Transport Corporation has introduced five additional buses from Siliguri to Calcutta starting Sunday, NBSTC chairman Partha Pratim Roy said.

Another blow

The tourist footfall in north Bengal and Sikkim had been increasing steadily since the third week of September.

“Two years ago, the devastating GLOF (glacial lake outburst flood) in Sikkim and Kalimpong severely affected tourism. Unfortunately, we are again facing a natural disaster that has disrupted the industry,” Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network (HHTDN), a key tourism industry body in the region, said.

“The tourist season was expected to continue until the first week of November, but we fear many tourists will now cancel their plans.”

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has temporarily closed tourist spots like Tiger Hill and Rock Garden, among others, near Darjeeling.

“We urge tourists to remain in their hotels or accommodations,” Darjeeling superintendent of police Praween Prakash said.

“Those planning to visit the hills should reconsider. Stranded visitors will be able to reach Siliguri in time as (the debris from) landslides at two locations along the NH110 have been cleared.”

Prakash added: “Tourists in and around Mirik are advised to travel to Siliguri via Ghoom and Kurseong, as the bridge at Dudhia has been damaged by the Balason river.”

Twenty-four tourists were stranded at the Madarihat Tourist Lodge in Dooars, just outside the Jaldapara National Park, after the wooden bridge over the Holong stream was swept away.

Later in the afternoon, the forest department engaged three paid elephants to rescue nine of these 24 who wanted to leave immediately.

All car and elephant safaris have been suspended indefinitely at the flooded national park.

In Alipurduar-I block, the River Sishamara breached its embankments, flooding nearly 15 private resorts hosting 130 tourists.

“Tourists at some of these resorts are stranded, but all are safe. Once the situation stabilises, they will be able to leave,” a local tour
operator said.

Helplines

Several helplines have been opened for the stranded tourists.

These are 0353-2513986 (tourism department office at Mainak, Siliguri), 9144433310 (HHTDN), 1800-212-1655(tourism department office at BBD Bagh, Calcutta), 0353-2662010, 0353-2662210, 7872707733, 7001310127 and 9147889607 (Siliguri Metropolitan Police control room), 9147889078 (Darjeeling district police) and 7557035194 (Siliguri Municipal Corporation).