20/08/2025
*Office of Raju Bista*
*Press Release*
*20th of Aug, 2025*
Today, I met with the Hon'ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, to update him about the prevalent situation in National Highway - 10 (NH10), and submitted my detailed field visit report.
I informed him that the Teesta river has changed course since the 2023 floods, causing severe erosion along the right bank where NH-10 lies. The river level has risen sharply, making desilting urgent. With vertical slopes and active landslides, cutting work is extremely risky. NH-10 has already been shut for over two-weeks days this monsoon, severely impacting locals, tourists, and businesses.
While the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is working to address the situation, the scale of damage requires additional support.
I’ve suggested deploying more resources, skilled personnel, heavy-duty machinery, and landslide-resistant materials to speed up restoration and stabilization work. I also recommended using GIS and remote sensing for real-time monitoring and landslide mapping.
Most importantly, I’ve called for stronger coordination among agencies like NHIDCL, IRCON, NHPC, BRO, and the Brahmaputra Board, and a joint meeting with elected representatives, the WB Govt and Sikkim Govt, NDRF, GSI, and expert engineers and geologists to develop a unified, long-term plan for NH-10 and the Teesta Basin.
In the long term, road realignment and an elevated stretch for safety and sustainability should be considered.
Hon’ble Shri Nitin Gadkari ji had convened the meeting in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry and NHIDCL, and directed them to immediately constitute a high-level team to visit NH-10.
He has instructed the team to explore all viable options, including re-alignment, elevated highway corridors, viaducts, and tunnels, to ensure a permanent and time-bound resolution to the persistent issues on NH-10 on a war-footing. He has asked the officials to immediately appointment Project Management Consultant (PMC) for NH-10.
*Raju Bista*
*Member of Parliament, Darjeeling and*
*National Spokesperson, BJP*