Darjeeling, Sept. 11 -- Heavy rainfall in the Darjeeling Hills on Thursday night, continuing till the wee hours of Friday, damaged a temporary causeway bridge on the Rangbhang river at Tabakoshi. A Hume pipe bridge constructed on the Balason river at Dudhey, over which heavy vehicles used to ply on the Siliguri-Mirik route, was also washed away on Friday.

Incidentally, a 30-40-foot-deep natural dam had formed on the Rangbhang Khola following a massive landslide in the Paila Gaon-Labarbote area of Mirik a few days ago, triggering fears of a flash flood in the downstream area if the natural dam was breached. Thirty-three families comprising 124 people in Labarbote Lower Palzar Gaon under Pahila Gaon School Dara-II Gram Panchayat were affected owing to this and were moved to safer locations. The rainfall on Thursday finally breached the natural dam, with the accumulated water rushing out. This partially damaged the causeway bridge at Tabakoshi, this being the downstream area.

Vehicular traffic flow came to a standstill owing to this. Emergency restoration work is underway, stated an administrative official. Incidentally, Tabakoshi was one of the worst-affected places during the devastating natural calamity of October 4, 2025, with the Hills witnessing landslides and flash floods.

Rains also cut off the road connecting Srikhola to Ramman via Dara Gaon under the Darjeeling Pulbazar block. Srikhola, a scenic mountain hamlet near Sandakphu, is a famous tourist destination.

Meanwhile, the Hume pipe bridge on the Balason river at Dudhey was washed away at around 4am on Friday. Vehicles above 6 tons (mainly goods vehicles) on the Mirik-Siliguri route used this bridge.

With the bridge being washed away, the heavy vehicles plying between Siliguri and Mirik will have to take a detour via Ghoom and Sukhia.

For light vehicles up to 6 tons, a Bailey bridge built by the Army and inaugurated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on July 8 is still operational. A permanent bridge at Dudhey is under construction.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.