Kalimpong district magistrate Balasubramanian T announced today that all vehicle movement on national highway-10 will be suspended entirely for two days, starting tomorrow.

The decision, made in consultation with the public works department (PWD), aims to expedite crucial road strengthening work currently underway on the highway.

“The suspension is necessary to complete the work efficiently, allowing heavy vehicles to safely use NH-10, once it’s finished,” the DM stated during a press briefing.

This stretch of NH-10, running along the Teesta, was severely damaged by landslides and riverbank erosion triggered by heavy monsoon rains a few weeks ago. The collapse led to the complete closure of the highway, forcing vehicles to be rerouted through alternate pathways connecting Siliguri to Kalimpong and Sikkim.

When questioned about the potential transfer of NH-10 maintenance from the PWD to the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHDCL), the DM noted that he had heard it but had not received official confirmation.

“The PWD remains in charge for now, and there’s no official word on a handover to NHDCL,” he added.

Notably, Sikkim MP Indra Hung Subba recently met Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari and claimed that the minister had ordered the transfer of NH-10 maintenance to NHDCL.

However, this transfer is yet to be officially communicated.

The Kalimpong DM further mentioned that the ongoing emergency restoration work by the PWD has allowed restricted movement of small and medium vehicles on NH-10.

“No agency can initiate a long-term restoration project during the monsoon. For now, the PWD’s emergency work is our only option,” he explained.

The state government has proposed a long-term project for the vulnerable stretch of NH-10, and the proposal is currently awaiting approval from the Union ministry of road transport and highways.

Sources indicate that the state government’s PWD secretary is in regular contact with the ministry regarding this project.

While the risk of landslides has diminished, the DM warned that certain spots along the highway remain at risk due to ongoing riverbank erosion. A team of engineers from the state’s irrigation and waterways department recently inspected the area to assess the river’s behaviour and explore solutions to the sedimentation problem, which is a primary cause of erosion on the highway’s right bank.

The DM mentioned that the irrigation department, along with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), may take on the task of addressing the erosion issue. Additionally, he highlighted the need for bank protection work to safeguard NH-10, potentially involving the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in the effort.