Heavy rains damage bridges, disrupt road links in Darjeeling Hume pipe bridge at Dudhey washed away

Amitava Banerjee, MP,  September 12, 2026, Darjeeling : Heavy rainfall in the Darjeeling Hills on Thursday night, continuing till the wee hours of Friday, damaged a temporary causeway bridge on the Rangbhang river at Tabakoshi.

A Hume pipe bridge constructed on the Balason river at Dudhey, over which heavy vehicles used to ply on the Siliguri-Mirik route, was also washed away on Friday.

Incidentally, a 30–40-foot-deep natural dam had formed on the Rangbhang Khola following a massive landslide in the Paila Gaon-Labarbote area of Mirik a few days ago, triggering fears of a flash flood in the downstream area if the natural dam was breached.

Thirty-three families comprising 124 people in Labarbote Lower Palzar Gaon under Pahila Gaon School Dara-II Gram Panchayat were affected owing to this and were moved to safer locations.

The rainfall on Thursday finally breached the natural dam, with the accumulated water rushing out.

This partially damaged the causeway bridge at Tabakoshi, this being the downstream area.

Vehicular traffic flow came to a standstill owing to this.

Emergency restoration work is underway, stated an administrative official.

Incidentally, Tabakoshi was one of the worst-affected places during the devastating natural calamity of October 4, 2025, with the Hills witnessing landslides and flash floods.

Rains also cut off the road connecting Srikhola to Ramman via Dara Gaon under the Darjeeling Pulbazar block.

Srikhola, a scenic mountain hamlet near Sandakphu, is a famous tourist destination.

Meanwhile, the Hume pipe bridge on the Balason river at Dudhey was washed away at around 4am on Friday.

Vehicles above 6 tons (mainly goods vehicles) on the Mirik-Siliguri route used this bridge.

With the bridge being washed away, the heavy vehicles plying between Siliguri and Mirik will have to take a detour via Ghoom and Sukhia.

For light vehicles up to 6 tons, a Bailey bridge built by the Army and inaugurated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on July 8 is still operational.

A permanent bridge at Dudhey is under construction.

Courtesy and Source: Millennium Post 

KalimNews: Relief and Rescue Operations Underway in Rangbhang Khola and Mirik Busty II

In the wake of the severe landslide at Rangbhang Khola, Mirik Busty II, comprehensive rescue and clearance operations are in full swing to safeguard affected families and restore normalcy to the region.

Highlighting the rapid mobilization of emergency resources, Member of Parliament for Darjeeling, Raju Bista, issued an official statement outlining the on-ground measures being taken:

"To help our people affected by the landslide at Rangbhang Khola, Mirik Busty II, Arjun Bahini was mobilised, NDRF and SDRF teams are now on the ground, and the Army and SSB are also assisting with clearance operations. This is what a responsive government looks like.

For years, our hills waited for this kind of urgency during times of crisis. Under the previous TMC dispensation, disaster response in our region was too often slow, delayed, or simply absent, leaving our people to fend for themselves in our hour of need. That is no longer the case.

Under the BJP government, the safety and dignity of the people of the hills has been made a top priority. Whenever disaster strikes, whether it is a landslide, a flood, or any other calamity, this government has shown that it will act fast and stand by the people.

I thank the Chief Minister and all the forces on the ground, Darjeeling District and Mirik Sub-division Administration, and Darjeeling and Mirik Police for their tireless efforts. To the people of Rangbhang Khola and Mirik Busty II, please know that your government cares, and will continue to stand with you in every time of need."

With multi-agency coordination between disaster response forces, security personnel, local police, and civil administrative bodies, active work continues around the clock to clear debris, secure vulnerable zones, and ensure the safety and well-being of every resident in the affected areas.