Connectivity between Siliguri, Mirik, and Darjeeling continues to remain severely disrupted following the collapse of the iron bridge at Dudhia earlier this month, as authorities race to construct a temporary alternative link over the Balason river.
Officials said the new bridge — being built by laying reinforced concrete pipes across the riverbed to restore traffic movement — is expected to be operational by next week. The Dudhia bridge had collapsed on 4 October after incessant rainfall triggered floods, cutting off the main Siliguri-Mirik road.
Meanwhile, with the main route closed, commuters have been forced to take narrow and steep roads through Noll Dara on the Mirik-Putun-Dudhia stretch. On Wednesday, two persons were killed when a car travelling from Mirik to Kakarvitta/ Panitanki, Indo-Nepal border, skidded off the Noll Dara Road and plunged into a gorge.
In another mishap a few days ago, two persons were killed when a car carrying five occupants veered off the Pankhabari Road — one of the key diversion routes currently being used to reach Darjeeling after the Rohini Road was blocked by a massive landslide.
Restoration work on Rohini Road is underway but may take several more days before it is reopened to vehicular traffic, officials added.
With both Mirik and Darjeeling depending on fragile, makeshift hill routes, authorities have urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while travelling through the area.