It would take 12 to 15 days to restore one-way traffic on NH 10 near Teesta in Bengal

Sanjay Agarwal, EOI, RANGPO, OCTOBER 8, 2023 :  With National Highway 10, the only lifeline of Sikkim, being completely disrupted due to the floods on October 4, it may take 12 to 15 days more to resume one-way traffic from Sikkim to Siliguri along NH 10. 

Near Singtam, including Goliatar, 19th Mile, 20th Mile, Malli, Teesta 27 Mile, 29 Mile and other places the road has been completely washed away. A one-way lane was opened at Golitar on Friday, but to clear the heavy debris on the road all types of vehicles are prohibited from plying through the route from 10 am to 2 pm. Despite the river flowing on the road near Malli a one-way lane has been opened to traffic temporarily. 

The road from Gangtok to Teesta, thus, is now open to one-way traffic. The work of repairing the road beyond Teesta has been entrusted to the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
According to reports, even though NHIDCL has started the work, a new technology will now have to be used to restore traffic on the road which has been washed away by the river. 

The resumption of even one-way vehicular movement along this stretch of the road is likely to take 12 to 15 days. Travellers between Sikkim and Siliguri will now have to use the Siliguri-Sevoke- Coronation Bridge-Gorubathan- Lava route, while big vehicles will have to use Siliguri- Gajaldobha- Damdim-Gorubathan, Lava, - Algarah -Reshi-Rhenock -Rorathang - Pakyong- Ranipool route. 

To ensure that food items do not become expensive, the Sikkim Government, along with the decision to waive SNT supervision tax, has also decided to waive the additional fare charged on vehicles carrying food items over such a long distance