Sikkim’s lone Lok Sabha MP, Indra Hang Subba, met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on August 1, pressing for urgent flood control and restoration measures along National Highway-10, which connects Sikkim to the rest of India. Subba submitted a memorandum highlighting the highway’s vulnerability to monsoon-induced landslides and floods, particularly along the Teesta River stretch in Kalimpong, West Bengal.
He flagged the recurring damage between Sevoke and Melli as life-threatening for commuters and locals. The October 2023 flash flood, which altered the Teesta’s course and raised the riverbed, worsened the situation with silt and debris accumulation, he noted.
Subba recommended a long-term flood mitigation plan, including embankment reinforcements, technical inspections, better drainage systems, and a greenfield highway on the river’s opposite bank to bypass high-risk areas. He also proposed temporary elevated corridors to maintain connectivity. Responding positively, Minister Gadkari directed ministry officials and engineers to act swiftly.