Landslides block Hills train tracks

Deep Gazmer | TNN | 10 July 2019, Darjeeling: Incessant rains in the Hills triggered landslides on several stretches of Darjeeling and Kurseong.

Though there have so far been no reports of casualties, the long-distance service of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (from NJP to Darjeeling) was cancelled on Tuesday following landslide on the Ghayabari stretch in Kurseong sub-division.

Huge boulders and debr-is blocked the narrow-gauge track and road between Ghayabari and Selimhill. “Our staff are clearing the track. But it will take time as the boulders and mud debris are huge. The long-distance service has been cancelled for today,” said a DHR official.

Torrential rain also damaged a road bench on Giddeypahar-Ghayabari bypass road, which is a few kilometres from Kurseong.

In Darjeeling, a landslide occurred near Divyaban, near Loreto Convent school. Students were forced to negotiate the debris and mud-water. The Darjeeling municipality swung into action and cleared the thoroughfare with the help of a JCB.

Early on Monday, two persons died in Pubung Phatak after huge boulders and mud buried their house. A woman was also injured in a landslide in Bijanbari, with reports of trees uprooting and roads being damaged due to landslides.

In a press statement, Niraj Zimba, the BJP MLA from Darjeeling said he had submitted a memorandum to Javed Ahmed Khan, state disaster management and civil defence minister in-charge, requesting ex-gratia to the family of the victims.

The district administration is also keeping a vigil on the situation and also prepared relief operations. Control centres have also been set up for emergency.