West Bengal PWD seeks funds from govt for repairing NH-10

The deteriorated condition of the several stretches of NH-10 has worsened due to the recurring landslide. The officials from the public works department (PWD) sought funds from the Bengal government for immediate repair. The centre is supposed to send the funds to maintain NH-10, connecting the Himalayan states of Sikkim to Kalimpong in Bengal and Sino-Indian border. PWD maintains NH-10 from Sevoke, which is 25 km till Rongpo, Sikkim. According to an official, due to the upcoming festivals, the vehicular load will increase on NH-10. Since the centre has not taken the initiative, the department has sent the proposal to the state government for immediate action to prevent a halt in traffic owing to landslides. A PWD official said that in August, the BJP MP of Darjeeling, Raju Bista, told the media that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) would spend Rs 800 crore to rebuild NH-10. About the fund allocation and initiation of the repair work, no development work has been initiated. He further said that since July, traffic on the NH has increased 15 times due to the landslide. On Tuesday, a landslide blocked the national highway, which got cleared after about five hours. The most precarious stretch of land is in the 29th Mile, which experiences frequent slides. As per the sources, debris, having mud, boulders, and pebbles pile up to about 300 feet above the highway level, especially during rains. These piles should have to be emptied to make the road clear. In the proposal, PWD officials have said that a protection wall at the place can be helpful. The department has to explore whether an alternative alignment of the road can be built at NH-10, a source said. The landslide has concerned the residents of Sikkim and Kalimpong why no action is being taken to repair the national highway. Image SourceAlso read: MMRDA approves Rs 101 crore for repairing Ulhasnagar roads