NH10 closed to traffic for six days now

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, JULY 5, 2024 : National Highway-10 has been completely closed to traffic for the past six days. It continued to be closed on Friday. 

Last Saturday, the highway was opened as a one-way road for some time in the evening, but was closed again due to heavy landslides in Likhubhir and Selfie Danra. Since then, NH10, considered the lifeline of Kalimpong and Sikkim, has remained closed.

According to the Kalimpong district administration, the road is closed from Seti Jhora to Chitrey. This section of the highway is said to be closed due to the hill cutting work at Selfie Danra to facilitate the construction of a protection wall. 

Apart from this, the road from Ravi Jhora to Teesta Bazar has also been closed due to repair work and water logging.

Alternative routes are open from Kalimpong to Siliguri via the Panbu route. The Ramphu to Lava via Munsong route is open. The Kalimpong to Siliguri via Lava route is open. NH 717A has also been temporarily closed due to landslides in some parts. 

According to information received from the Kalimpong District Administration, the rains have caused extensive damage to the Melli Bridge, Ravi Jhora, 29 Mile, 27 Mile and Selfie Danra areas. The administration has asked drivers of vehicles to take the alternative routes.

Road users are complaining that months have passed since the disaster, but the condition of the highway has not improved. 

Passengers and drivers are facing problems along the alternative routes like longer travel time and prolonged traffic jams. It is now taking four hours to reach Siliguri from Kalimpong. One may even get caught in traffic jam for hours. Items of daily necessity have become expensive in Kalimpong.