Diversion plan for traffic on NH55 after monsoon

Siliguri, June 13:  The public works department has decided to divert a stretch of NH55 near the landslide-prone area at Paglajhora after the monsoons.

The department, however, has not yet come up with a road map and plan to divert the traffic on the highway that connects Siliguri to Kurseong and Darjeeling.

Subrata Saha, the minister of state for PWD, said the government had received reports from the Geological Survey of India on Paglajhora, also considered a sinking zone, and has decided to divert traffic on NH55 or the Hill Cart Road.

“We are aware of the problem of landslide and the closure of NH55 near Paglajhora. Over the years this has caused inconvenience to thousands of hill residents. The GSI report is with us and it indicates that it is tough to maintain the road on the existing route as the problem of landslide or the sinking of a stretch on the road would persist due to the nature of the rocks in Paglajhora,” he said.

The minister added that the project would be undertaken after the monsoons. “It would take time to make designs and maps and build some kilometres of the new road. We plan to take up this project after the rainy season. The proposed diversion has to be made a few kilometres ahead of Paglajhora because in the hills a road cannot be diverted abruptly right from the spot,” Saha said.

Traffic will be diverted between Tindharia and Kurseong, the officials said.

The highway that passes through Sukna, Rongtong, Tindharia, Gayabari and Mahanadi before entering Kurseong remained shut for almost 10 months because of the sinking of a 500-metre stretch at Paglajhora, 35km from here, on June 16 last year. The road was opened for traffic on April 14.

“The road has been open since mid-April and we have successfully built an embankment. However, due to the persistent problem of landslides, falling of boulders, pebbles and mud, sometimes the road is closing down. We have machinery and men posted there. They are clearing debris on an emergency basis to avoid traffic congestion on the road,” Nirmal Mondal, an executive engineer of the PWD, said.

The landslip at Paglajhora had also halted the DHR services between New Jalpaiguri and Kurseong and the joy rides on the route have not resumed till date as the DHR officials are yet to repair the tracks that run parallel to NH55.

“Whenever we take the task to divert the stretch, the DHR authorities and all others concerned would be informed and suggestions would be sought from them,” Saha said.

According to him, the state is also planning to construct a bridge over the Teesta near Sevoke to smoothen traffic movement. “We plan to build a bridge in the plains connecting both banks of the Teesta to improve road communication with the Dooars,” Saha said.

TT