India, June 19 -- Heavy rainfall led to the collapse of a temporary bridge over the swollen Balason river in West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Friday, disrupting vehicular movement between Siliguri and the Mirik subdivision, officials said.

The hume pipe structure was built as a stopgap arrangement after the collapse of the Dudhia iron bridge in October 2025. Authorities said a section of the temporary bridge gave way after a sudden rise in water levels due to continuous rainfall in the region.

Following the incident, traffic has been diverted via alternative routes through Pankhabari and Kurseong, causing inconvenience to daily commuters and transport of essential goods.

Darjeeling MP Raju Bista visited the site and blamed the prev...