The PWD has started a survey of the damaged national highway that links Siliguri to Darjeeling

The cave-in at Tindharia on NH55. File picture

Siliguri, Oct. 14: The PWD has started a survey of the damaged stretches of Hill cart Road today to carry out permanent repairs on the national highway that links Siliguri to Darjeeling.

Officials said the study that will focus on the nature of the soil in the affected areas and its capacity to take load will be ready before Diwali.

“Our team is conducting a survey to assess the damage and prepare a detailed report on the present situation of the two major affected parts of NH55, one near Paglajhora and the other near Tindharia. On the basis of the report, we can start the restoration,” said Nirmal Mondal, the executive engineer of NH (division IX) of the PWD.

“Soil exploration would be one of the major areas that will be investigated during the survey as we have to find out the loading capacity of the soil in the affected places. Apart from that, the estimation of loss and budget for re-establishing the road will also be decided during the survey,” said Mondal.

Last year, a 500-metre stretch near Paglajhora, 35km from here, had caved in. The PWD officials had said the damaged part would be restored by September 25 and vehicles would be allowed on the stretch but the condition of the affected area deteriorated after the recent earthquake.

On September 28, a 150-metre stretch at Tindharia, 5km from Paglajhora, caved in.

“There is no option for temporary repairs (in these places). We need to prepare a report for permanent reinstatement work and we are planning to complete the report before Diwali,” Mondal said.

He added that in both the areas the road has to be build from below the highway level. 

TT