Darjeeling: Incessant rain in Darjeeling district triggered landslides and flash floods on Friday, snapping a key road link between the hills and the plains, disrupting transport and connectivity. The heavy rain also resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy in Alipurduar.“The heavy rains have affected Siliguri, Champasari, Darjeeling and other areas but the situation is under control. There has been no information of tourists facing difficulties,” CM Suvendu Adhikari said. He added that a four-year-old in Alipurduar, Joy Oraon, died due to the heavy rain in the Hashimara tea garden area. The district administration has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh for the family.The worst-hit stretch was the Mirik-Siliguri corridor, where the 468-m temporary Hume pipe bridge over the Balason at Dudhia was washed away in the morning after a sharp rise in the water level. The bridge, around 26 km from Siliguri on state highway-12, was the only direct road link connecting Mirik to the plains. Its collapse has forced commuters to take the longer detour via Ghum and Darjeeling. While the Siliguri-Mirik distance through Dudhia is around 48 km, the alternative route via Ghum is nearly 85 km.The Dudhia bridge collapse comes less than a year after the Bailey bridge at the same location was washed away during the landslides in Oct 2025. Public works department executive engineer Anandamay Mondal said, “The temporary Hume pipe bridge has been washed away due to the surge in the water level of Balason river. Restoration work will be a challenge due to the force of the water if the rain continues.” Suresh Kumar Jagat, ADM (disaster management), Darjeeling, said three bridges were damaged while more than eight subdivisions were affected by landslides and flooding. He added all major roads had been cleared by Friday evening. “An Orange alert has been issued for Darjeeling district. We request tourists to check the latest road conditions through official channels and plan their travel accordingly,” Jagat said.The district administration, in coordination with the tourism department, has set up helplines for tourists requiring assistance: 0354-2255749 for any emergency or assistance; 1800-212-1655 and 0353-2513986 for emergencies.Darjeeling MP Raju Bista, who visited the affected areas with the district magistrate and senior officials, said, “With the monsoon expected to intensify in the coming weeks, a more durable solution to the broken connectivity is urgently required.”Landslides also blocked NH-110 near Mahanadi’s Chowki Dara and damaged Darjeeling Himalayan Railway tracks near Paglajhora. “The full-length services between NJP and Darjeeling 52540 and 52541 shall remain suspended till the track is restored,” DHR director Rishab Choudhary said.
