Raju Bista meets Nitin Gadkari, seeks urgent action for restoration of NH-10

Darjeeling MP and BJP National Spokesperson Raju Bista on Wednesday met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, and briefed him on the worsening situation along National Highway 10 (NH-10). The road, which is the lifeline connecting Sikkim with the rest of the country, has remained closed for over two weeks during this monsoon season, causing immense hardship to residents, tourists, and businesses.

Bista submitted a detailed field visit report to the Minister, highlighting the alarming changes along the Teesta River since the devastating floods of 2023. According to him, the river has altered its course, eroding the right bank where NH-10 lies. The water level has also risen, and with vertical slopes and active landslides, the risk to the highway has grown manifold.

“Desilting has become urgent. The present condition of NH-10 has made cutting work very risky. The situation is far more dangerous than in previous years, and urgent intervention is required,” Bista said.

While acknowledging that the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is making efforts to restore the highway, the MP stressed that the scale of the damage needs additional manpower, advanced equipment, and stronger inter-agency coordination. He suggested deploying skilled personnel, heavy-duty machinery, and landslide-resistant materials to stabilize the road faster. He also recommended modern solutions like GIS and remote sensing for real-time monitoring of landslides and mapping of vulnerable stretches.

Bista further pressed for stronger coordination among key agencies such as NHIDCL, IRCON, NHPC, BRO, and the Brahmaputra Board. He proposed a joint meeting involving elected representatives, the governments of West Bengal and Sikkim, as well as experts from the NDRF, Geological Survey of India, and senior engineers and geologists. “The Teesta basin and NH-10 require a unified, long-term plan, not piecemeal fixes,” he said.

Looking ahead, the MP also urged consideration of permanent solutions like road realignment and the construction of elevated stretches to ensure the safety and sustainability of this vital highway.

Responding to his concerns, Gadkari convened a meeting in the presence of senior ministry officials and representatives of NHIDCL. The Union Minister directed that a high-level team be immediately constituted to visit NH-10 and explore all possible alternatives. These include realignment, elevated highway corridors, viaducts, and tunnels to provide a permanent and time-bound solution to the recurring crisis.

Gadkari further instructed the officials to immediately appoint a Project Management Consultant (PMC) for NH-10 to oversee the work. He emphasized that the matter must be dealt with on a “war footing,” considering the repeated disruptions and the strategic importance of the highway.