The state PWD has started construction work on a new bridge over the Balason river near Matigara on the northwest outskirts of Siliguri.
The two-lane bridge to be parallel to the existing bridge is a part of the proposed four-lane extension of a 12km stretch of NH10 from northwest to northeast of Siliguri, from Balason to Sevoke Military Station.
It will considerably help in easing traffic congestion in the central and southern parts of the city.
“We have started construction work since last month. It will be a two-lane bridge around 180 metres long. The target to finish the work is 913 days,” said an official of the state PWD (NH10 division) executing the project.
The bridge over Balason is along NH10, the principal entry point to Siliguri. It also connects the Bagdogra airport and southern parts of the state and the country with the city. Thousands of daily commuters, along with tourists, use this route to reach Siliguri, Bagdogra, the Darjeeling and Kalimpong hills and the neighbouring state of Sikkim.
In October 2021, vehicular movement along the bridge stopped after the rain-fed Balason swelled and damaged one of the pillars.
The administration acted and a Bailey bridge was installed in December, after around two months, and one-way traffic of only light vehicles and two-wheelers was allowed along the route.
The PWD took up repair and traffic resumed through the bridge from August last year.
“However, as the movement of vehicles weighing above 15 tonnes was restricted on the bridge, a number of heavy commercial vehicles could not take the route and had to move through a turnaround route through southern parts of the city. Once the new bridge is ready, these vehicles too, can move through Balason. It will help cut traffic snarls in Siliguri considerably,” said an official.
Under the four-laning project for which the Union ministry of road transport and highways has sanctioned around Rs 709 crore, two major bridges would be built along the 12km stretch.
“One of them is the bridge over Balason and another will be a second bridge over Mahananda near the state guest house. Also, a diversion would be built on Chumta (a small rivulet crossing through Matigara near the City Centre),” a source said.
