Darjeeling MP Raju Bista on Wednesday met Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi and submitted a detailed report on the worsening condition of National Highway 10 (NH-10), the lifeline connecting Sikkim with the rest of India.
Mr Bista, who recently conducted a field visit along vulnerable stretches of NH-10 on the banks of the Teesta, informed the minister that the river has altered its course since the 2023 floods, triggering severe erosion along the right bank where the highway runs. Rising water levels, vertical slopes, and recurring landslides have made cutting and restoration work extremely dangerous. NH-10 has already remained closed for over two weeks this monsoon, badly affecting locals, tourists, and businesses.
While acknowledging the efforts of NHIDCL, Mr Bista said the damage was beyond their current capacity. “I’ve suggested deploying additional resources, skilled manpower, heavy-duty machinery, and landslide-resistant materials to accelerate stabilization. I also recommended using GIS and remote sensing for real-time monitoring and landslide mapping,” he noted.
Stressing the need for better inter-agency coordination, the MP urged a joint action plan involving NHIDCL, IRCON, NHPC, BRO, the Brahmaputra Board, elected representatives, the West Bengal and Sikkim governments, NDRF, GSI, and expert engineers under a unified framework for NH-10 and the Teesta basin. He also highlighted the long-term necessity of road realignment and elevated stretches to ensure safety and sustainability.
According to Mr Bista, Mr Gadkari held a meeting with senior ministry and NHIDCL officials and directed them to immediately form a high-level team to inspect NH-10. The minister also instructed them to examine permanent solutions, including realignment, elevated corridors, viaducts, and tunnels, and to appoint a project management consultant (PMC) for the project on a war-footing.