MASSIVE LANDSLIDE DISRUPTS NH-10 CONNECTIVITY NEAR SEVOKE; TRAFFIC DIVERTED ACROSS GAZALDOBA ROUTES

KalimNews, June 26, 2026, Siliguri : A major landslide near Sevoke along National Highway 10 has severely disrupted road connectivity between the plains and the hills, affecting travel to Siliguri, the Dooars region, Kalimpong, and Sikkim.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, June 25, when a large portion of a hillside collapsed onto NH-10 near the Shiv Mandir area of Sevoke, close to Coronation Bridge. The debris completely blocked the crucial highway, bringing traffic to a standstill.

Although restoration work began soon after the landslide, authorities were unable to fully reopen the affected stretch. Even light vehicles were restricted throughout the day as fresh debris and boulders continued to fall intermittently from the unstable slope. Long traffic jams formed on both sides of the highway, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for hours.

Reports also indicated chaotic traffic movement with multiple lanes forming in restricted sections, further worsening congestion and slowing evacuation efforts. In response, the administration imposed a complete restriction on vehicular movement on June 26, urging commuters to avoid the route entirely.

To ease travel disruption, alternative routes have been suggested closing the road completely. Vehicles travelling from the hills towards Siliguri have been advised to take the Lava–Gorubathan Road via Oodlabari and Gazaldoba. Those moving between Kalimpong, Sikkim, and Siliguri are also relying on these diversion routes for essential travel.

Meanwhile, several tourists remain stranded across various locations in the hills and adjoining plains. The disruption has placed significant pressure on tour operators, many of whom had to wait from morning until late afternoon before resuming partial movement through alternate corridors.

Despite the monsoon season, tourism activity has shown comparatively stronger turnout this year. Operators noted that visitor flow is noticeably better than in the past two seasons, which were heavily affected by repeated landslides and road closures beginning from June 8 last year. However, fresh landslide incidents in recent days have once again raised concerns over travel stability in the region.

Officials from the Darjeeling district administration continue restoration and monitoring work on the affected stretch. The Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling Police, has issued a detailed traffic advisory warning that NH-10 remains unsafe due to continuous falling debris and unstable slopes.

According to the advisory, although the road was briefly cleared and traffic restored at intervals, repeated minor landslides and rolling stones continue to pose serious risks to commuters. Authorities have emphasized that normal traffic movement cannot resume until the slope is fully stabilized and the landslide threat is brought under control.

Until further notice, vehicles travelling from Sikkim towards Siliguri are advised to use the Munsong–Gorubathan route, while vehicles from the Kalimpong side may be diverted via the Coronation Bridge–Mongpong–Gazaldoba corridor depending on ground conditions. The advisory has also been communicated to the Kalimpong police for coordinated traffic management until conditions on NH-10 improve.