SNS, KURSEONG, 7 August 2012: A major portion of the newly designed Rohini Road (Photo: BNA) collapsed yesterday evening at Zero Point near Kurseong town in the Darjeeling Hills.
The direct transportation link between Darjeeling and Siliguri was blocked, following a landslide that damaged around 60 feet of Rohini Road. Rainfall in the region had been mild before the collapse.
As soon as the landslide occurred, a team of Kurseong police headed by IC Bijay Tamang visited the site and stopped traffic by barricading the road.
"I have requested all to divert all the Darjeeling- or Siliguri-bound vehicles via Mangpoo Road or via Mirik Road for their own safety," said Mr Tamang. "The landslide site is not in a position even to accept the plying of two-wheelers, because cracks have appeared on the road across the site."
This morning, a team of GTA officials headed by executive engineer K C Ghimirey visited the site, took stock of the situation, and then launched reconstruction. "Around 60 feet of the road was affected by the landslide," Mr Ghimirey said. "We have already started the restoration works and it will take at least three weeks for the full resumption of normal traffic on Rohini Road." The road had been under construction for the past six months. Due to last month's landslides on other arterial roads ~ such as Pankhabari Road and NH-55 ~ Rohini Road was reopened prematurely on 15 July.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had praised the condition of Rohini Road during her recent Darjeeling visit ~ so much so that she arrived in Darjeeling via Rohini Road and departed for Siliguri via the same road. Ironically, the road collapsed just 24 hour after the chief minister praised it.
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