Mukesh Sharma

Kalimpong,15th July

National Highway 31 A  traffic will remain closed From 5.00 AM (Morning) tomorrow for 24 hour due to road slide at Likhuveer about 2 kms from Tista under Kalimpong Sub division.

The Decision was taken today after about 15m * 5 m road was swept away by Tista around 9 am this morning . The NH was closed through out the whole night after tree and electric poles fell at Rambi which halted the traffic for more then 6 Hour. Massive queue of vehicle remain stranded through out the night as clearance could not be done to heavy rainfall and shortage of electricity as tree damaged the electric system. Around 6 the traffic was cleared.But it was around 9 am when likhuveer once a very landslide prone area showed its colour. The road which was closed after it sinked a little a week before was been maintain by the NHPC contractor but last night heavy rainfall and the rising tista swept away a mass chunk of the half of the road causing massive jam.

Soon after receiving information GREF came in the front and diverted the water first and some how restored one way traffic.

But the remaining road which is there is also in a venerable position as the slide as created a spoiling just beneath the remaining road.

BRDF Commander Navin Kumar reached and look the road and went to Malli at Gref HQ. There after meeting with his official the GREF informed Government of Sikkim and West Bengal that the traffic will remain closed for 24 hour a bridge will be constructed .

Kumar said that " we have inform both the government. The slide has caused a risk to travel thorough the road  and we have planned to build a bridge tomorrow for which we have to halt the traffic"

All heavy vehicles carrying supplies and passenger carrying smaller vehicles will take the route of Lava-Gorubathan-Damdim Road, or Takdah valley via 6th mile, or Teesta Bazar – via Takling to Teesta valley.

More than 50-metre stretch of the National Highway to Sikkim was breached at Likhubhir last week due to heavy rain. Throughout the last week one way traffic was maintained. Day by day the cave-in occurred at the landslide-prone Likhubhir, about a kilometre from the Teesta bridge became larger and larger and today a large part of the road was swept away.

Meanwhile the protection wall at 29 Mile too was swept away causing treat to some of the houses of the area.