National Highway 10 (NH10), which connects Kalimpong in West Bengal and Sikkim, has been closed for three days starting Sunday evening. The closure, which affected a large 30-km section between Sevoke and Chitrey, was necessary because a part of the roadway developed deep fractures after new landslides happened in many places on Sunday.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) sent out an urgent notice on Sunday night saying that the road would be closed from 8 PM on August 3 to 6 PM on August 6.
Closure Due to Safety Concerns
The directive from Rahul Kumar Gupta, General Manager of Siliguri NHIDCL, clearly said that “the damages have raised serious concerns about the safety of commuters, prompting authorities to act to prevent any mishaps.” The closure is in effect “until further notice, pending assessment and necessary repair works.” This preventive step is meant to keep people safe on this important road, which is prone to landslides, especially during the monsoon season.
Other Ways for Commuters
Authorities have suggested the following alternate routes for light motor vehicles and small passenger vehicles going to and from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim:
Siliguri to Jorbungalow to Teesta Bazaar to Rangpo to Gangtok
Siliguri, Sevoke, Damdim, Gorubathan, Lava, Alagarah, Rangpo, and Gangtok
National Highway-717A goes from Siliguri via Sevoke to Bagrakote to Lava to Alagarah to Rangpo to Gangtok.
Heavy Vehicles Can’t Do These Things
Heavy vehicles are not allowed to move to and from Gangtok since the terrain is now quite unstable along the impacted area. Before you go, you should plan your trip and check the road conditions.
NH10 is an important road that connects Sikkim to the rest of India. The repeated problems show how hard it is to keep this highway open in tough terrain and bad weather. According to reports, NHIDCL is striving to finish the safety work that needs to be done on time so that traffic can flow normally again as soon as feasible.