Paglajhora: NH 110 between Ghayabari & Mahanadi closed

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 7 July 2024, Darjeeling: With the National Highway 110 (formerly NH55) sinking and developing huge cracks at Paglajhora, between Mahanadi and Ghayabari has rendered the road unmotorable on this stretch. Vehicles, including light vehicles or two-wheelers, also cannot ply. Vehicles going to Kurseong from Tindharia or vice-versa are being diverted from Ghayabari taking the Giddeypahar route. 

The Darjeeling-NJP-Darjeeling passenger train service has been suspended owing to the numerous landslides on this route. “However, we will run a single coach Darjeelig-Kurseong-Darjeeling passenger service from Monday,” informed Suman Pradhan, Station Manager, Darjeeling.

The train will leave Darjeeling Station at 9 am. Also Read - We live together with all religions: CM The Paglajhora area in the Kurseong sub-division is a vulnerable area and is a sinking zone. 

With incessant rainfall for the past few days, the area had started sinking since Saturday. However, on Saturday light vehicles and two-wheelers were plying but on Sunday, the situation further worsened with large cracks developing in the road, thereby rendering the stretch unmotorable. 

A team from the National Highway division inspected the road on Sunday. Heavy rainfall has also resulted in the closure of the popular tourist destinations Rock Garden and Gangamaya Park a few km from Darjeeling town. 

The Executive Director, Tourism department, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in an order stated:“Effective immediately, Rock Garden and Ganga Maya Park, Darjeeling will be temporarily closed. This decision is taken to prevent any potential accidents or harm to visitors due to unstable conditions caused by the weather. It will reopen once water levels recede.” 

Local residents claim that they have not seen the mountain stream take such a torrential form till now. Also Read - BJP MP accused of permitting ‘illegal activities’ in Indo-B’desh border area In the Kalimpong district, the NH 10 connecting Sikkim to the plains of Siliguri, continued to remain closed. 

The stretch of the under construction highway from Pedong to Rhenok also remained closed owing to landslides as a preventive measure. Reports are that a meeting of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be held in Delhi on July 8 to discuss the National Highway 10 issue. 

The meeting will be attended by representatives from the PWD, Water resources department of both Sikkim and Bengal along with NHPC, National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDC) and Railways. 

The NH 10 from Fulbari in Bengal to Gangtok in Sikkim is 174 km of which 65 km is in Sikkim and 52 in Bengal. 

There have been demands made by Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling as well as Indra Hang Subba, lone MP from Sikkim, to hand over the stretch of NH10 falling in Bengal to the NHIDC from the Bengal PWD. 

Courtesy & source- Miklennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/paglajhora-nh-110-between-ghayabari-mahanadi-closed-570923