Landslide blocks National Highway in Sikkim

TOPAKHANI - Frequent landslides due to heavy rains in Sikkim have blocked the National Highway 31-A, the Mangan-Singtam highway and have disrupted movement on roads.

“Due to landslides we were not working in the night because mud rolls down from the hills. So it is not possible to work in the night. But during the daytime we are trying our best that most of the vehicles can go through,” said Sudhir Mishra, junior engineer, Border Roads Organisation, Sikkim.

The Mangan-Singtam Highway is the lifeline between east and north Sikkim, but has been blocked due to landslides since last Friday.

Project Swastik personnel of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which maintains highways in Sikkim, is working to clear the blocked roads

“We just saw that some underground seepage water was coming from there. So, agricultural department and we are trying to divert the water in another sewage. So, if we are successful in this method, we will be able to open the road,” said Mishra.

Families have been shifted to safer places after the landslides damaged their homes. Huge cracks have developed in buildings due to the incessant rains over the past few days. Schools have also been closed due to the landslide threat. By Tashi Pradhan (ANI)