The decline in monsoonal downpours over the past few days in sub-Himalayan Bengal has prompted the state PWD to expedite the restoration work at the damaged stretches of NH10, the arterial road that connects the Himalayan state of Sikkim and the Kalimpong district of Bengal with Siliguri and rest of the country.

Sources in PWD’s NH division said the reduction in downpours – there has been a dry spell over the past few days – has helped them in speeding up the work which is likely to end in another couple of days.

“If the weather conditions remain the same and there is little or no rainfall, we hope in another two days we will be able to finish it,” said a source in the department.

Traffic movement on NH10 had closed down between Sevoke and Teesta Bazar – located 30 kilometres apart – several times since May this year due to landslides and cave-ins at Birikdara and other locations.

In the first week of July, as fresh slides occurred along the stretch, vehicular movement stopped and it remained closed for one month. Vehicles bound for Sikkim and Kalimpong had to take turnaround routes to reach Siliguri and vice-versa, by covering an additional 70 kilometres.

On August 1, vehicular movement resumed but again on August 7, a 70-metre-long stretch of the highway caved in at Birikdara, leaving no space for even light vehicles
to move.

Since then, the PWD has been working to restore connectivity along the highway by cutting down the hill and creating space to build the road.

“We are keeping fingers crossed and hope the repair work doesn’t get disrupted due to fresh bouts of rainfall,” said a transporter based in Kalimpong.

International meet

Stakeholders of the north Bengal tourism industry will flag the issue of NH10 in an international meet that will be held in Delhi at the end of this month to draw the attention of the Centre, seeking permanent measures so that the highway remains open throughout the year.

According to them, the International Centre for Responsible Tourism (ICRT), a UK-based organisation headquartered in London, will host a three-day BLTM (Business Leisure and Travel MICE) at Yashobhoomi (India International Convention and Expo Centre) in Delhi from August 29 to August 31.

At the event, there will be an award function and around 500 participants from across the globe will join business-to-business sessions to showcase different tourist destinations.

“Intermittent closure of NH10 has emerged as a new challenge for the tourism industry of this region. We will have dignitaries from the central government at the upcoming event and there, we will raise the issue and seek their intervention so that appropriate steps are taken by the Centre to confirm that the highway remains open throughout the year,” said Raj Basu, a veteran in the tourism industry of this region and a member of the Indian chapter or ICRT.

They will also refer to the roads which connect Lachen and Lachung, two tourist hotspots in Mangan, the district located in northern Sikkim, at the event, said Basu.