Landslides halt traffic on NH-10 connecting Sikkim-West Bengal

Landslides and rockfalls have temporarily halted vehicular movement on a stretch of National Highway-10, which connects Sikkim’s Rangpo with Sevoke in West Bengal.

Clearance activities are underway on the stretch following landslides at Birik Dara in Kalimpong district of West Bengal, they said.

The road is closed for all vehicular movement along the stretch since 11 am on Friday, the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) said.

A statement from the Siliguri office of NHIDCL said that adequate machinery has been deployed for clearance work, though continuous falling of rocks and debris is delaying the exercise.

The stretch is expected to reopen within 24 hours, the officials said.

"Travellers are advised to exercise caution and check for real-time updates before planning their journey. NHIDCL continues to monitor the situation and will provide further updates as the clearance work progresses," it said.