NH 10 closed indefinitely, diversions announced

SANJAY AGARWAL, EOI, RANGPO, 14 JUNE 2024 : The National Highway 10, the lifeline of Sikkim connecting the Himalayan state to the rest of the country, has been closed indefinitely due to multiple landslides caused by recent heavy rainfall.  

The Kalimpong District Administration issued a notification on Friday detailing the affected areas and the necessary diversions to ensure public safety due to landslides indifferent locations from Rangpo to Siliguri. 

The Kalimpong District Administration in the notification mentioned that the stretches near Melli Bridge, Rabi Jhora and Likhu Bhir along NH 10 had been damaged due to recent heavy rainfall, requiring temporary restriction or diversion of movement of vehicles along NH 10. 

This was to ensure the safety and security of common people and to facilitate the repair of NH 10. 

As per the notification, the movement of all heavy vehicles including buses would be restricted between Melli and Chitrey along NH10 until further orders.

The movement of all heavy vehicles would be restricted between Melli and 29th Mile till further orders. 

The movement of all vehicles via Rabi Jhora, Teesta Bazar, Pesok to Darjeeling and vice versa would be restricted from this day until further order. 

Only small vehicles would move from Rangpo towards Siliguri via Munsong, 17th Mile Algarah - Lava Gorubathan and vice versa round the clock. Heavy goods vehicles, buses and small vehicles would move between Reshi, Pedong, Algarah-Lava-Gorubathan and to Siliguri round the clock. 

All vehicles between Kalimpong and Darjeeling will use the 27th Mile-Teesta Valley – Darjeeling route