The lifeline highway connecting Sikkim to the rest of India—National Highway 10 (NH-10)—has been completely shut down for three days following landslides and severe road damage triggered by relentless monsoon rains. The highway will remain closed to all vehicular traffic from 8 PM on August 3 to 6 PM on August 6, as urgent repair work is undertaken by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
The most alarming development occurred in West Bengal’s Kalimpong district, where a major crack was detected near a landslide-prone stretch between Coronation Bridge and Chitrey. Officials stated that the closure is essential to ensure public safety and to facilitate extensive restoration work along the damaged corridor.
NH-10 is the primary route connecting Siliguri in West Bengal to Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, and its temporary shutdown has significantly disrupted the movement of both people and goods in the region. The impact is being felt in Kalimpong as well, which depends heavily on the same route for connectivity.
As a precautionary measure, the Kalimpong Police have advised small vehicles traveling between Siliguri and Gangtok to use alternative routes such as Damdim–Gorubathan–Lava–Alagarah and Bagrakote–Lava–Alagarah. However, heavy vehicles have been completely barred from plying this route during the closure.