The Centre has allocated ₹500 crore to repair NH10, the lifeline of Sikkim and Kalimpong.

Project reports to widen the entire stretch of the 174km-long highway by 10 metres for an additional cost of ₹2,000 crore are being prepared, said Darjeeling MP Raju Bista.

Bista issued a written statement to announce ₹500 crore allocation for NH10 repairs.

“Further, the Centre is preparing a DPR under the supervision of scientific and terrain experts for rebuilding NH10, and expanding (widening) it by a further 10 metres for which a budget of ₹2,000 crores will be additionally sanctioned,” Bista's statement read.

Following a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) from South Lonark Lake in north Sikkim on the intervening night of October 3 and 4 last year, the river bed of the Teesta has risen, which has already started submerging villages situated along the river.

In fact, flooding started as soon as monsoon and pre-monsoon rains hit the region causing widespread rains, especially in north Sikkim from where the Teesta flows.

The overflowing Teesta and landslides have already disrupted normal connectivity between Kalimpong and Darjeeling by submerging the road at Teesta Bazar. The NH10 also remained closed on Sunday because of falling boulders at Likhabhir along NH10, which threw life out of gear in the hill region.

The NH10, in its Bengal side, is currently maintained by the PWD department.

Sources said that a high-level delegation from the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) and the Bengal PWD met a delegation of the Sikkim department of road and bridges in Rangpo on Saturday.

“The Sikkim delegation gave a detailed presentation on the hardships faced by the state due to frequent disruptions on all fronts, right from the negative impact on tourism revenue and industrial output to the rising costs of essentials amid increased freight cost in such a scenario,” said a source.

The MoRTH director-general acknowledged the problem and promised the delegation to take up the matter with the secretary of MoRTH.

“Efforts are on to convene a meeting with all stakeholders, including state PWDs and irrigation, water resource/flood control departments of both Sikkim and Bengal, and entities such as the NHPC, the IRCON and the Central Water Commission to arrive at a permanent solution for the NH10,” added the source.