Teesta fury: NH-10 closure sparks public, political anger
The Statesman | 13 August 2025
For the people of north Bengal and Sikkim, the national highway 10 has once again turned into a nightmare. The crucial road link — often called the lifeline of the hills — has been battered almost daily by landslides from the hills and severe bank erosion by the swelling Teesta, triggered by incessant rain.
Since the first week of August, the highway connecting Siliguri to Sikkim via Kalimpong has been shut repeatedly. Traffic was halted twice completely and partially on three other occasions to carry out emergency restoration. Despite these efforts, conditions have worsened, especially for heavily loaded vehicles, with last night’s fresh damage compounding the crisis.
Locals, transporters, and political leaders — who once criticised the state government for poor maintenance — now find the situation unchanged even under central management by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL). The aggressive nature of the Teesta, worsened by heavy silt deposition after last year’s devastating lake burst and flash floods, has made the road’s stability increasingly fragile.
On Monday, NHIDCL’S project monitoring unit chief, Rahul Gupta, issued a fresh office order under the Control of National Highway (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, imposing strict restrictions on heavy goods vehicles along the vulnerable stretch between the 27th Mile (km 20.0) and Teesta Bazaar (km 27.0). The ban will remain in effect from 1 p.m. on 12 August to 6 p.m. on 15 August.
The order urged district authorities to regulate traffic to ensure smooth movement for smaller vehicles. Meanwhile, hill residents and traders remain anxious, fearing that the recurring closures could escalate into a prolonged blockade, hitting tourism, trade, and daily life hard — a grim reminder that, despite administrative changes, the Teesta’s fury still dictates the fate of this vital route.