NH 31-A Road Support Wall built by BRO Cracks

RANGPO-16TH JULY: It has been reported that due to the negligence and worst quality work done by the border roads organisation during the widening of road of National Highway 31-A at Rangpo more than 50 families and residents have to live in the very dangerous condition. According to the news before six month the road widening works was done between Rangpo fatak lane and below phc.for widening of roads the forest land was cut by the bro more than the area needed for widening. Though the road was widened but the safety wall constructed to protect from landslide was not only less in height also due to worst quality work in the construction of said safety wall the wall is totally collapsed from many side and also seen totally cracked within the six month of construction. Between the dangerous positions if any big incidents shall occurred in the area who shall responsible? It’s a big question and is a big tension for the local residents.

Early landslide on NH31-A worry for experts

Gangtok, June 21: The monsoon has just started and experts are worried that landslides have already struck the hills even though the earth is not yet saturated with water.

Subir Sarkar, the head of the geography department in North Bengal University, offered two plausible reasons for the early landslides.

“A triggering mechanism, like the raion, is needed for a landslide to occur. But this time, the rainfall was neither heavy nor of greater intensity, which suggests the threshold level (for the landslides to occur) has been disturbed. The other reason could be that the (landslide) preventive measures were not put in place before the onset of monsoon,” Sarkar said over the phone from Siliguri.

The preventive measures Sarkar refers to include jhora-training to reduce the velocity of water, cleaning of drains to ensure smooth flow of water downstream and construction of channels to guide torrents away from vulnerable areas. Experts agree that the man-made causes for landslides include grading, terrain cutting and excessive development.

About the new locations of landslides like Birick, which did not have any past history till last week, experts were not willing to comment without visiting the spots.

Praful Rao, the president of Save The Hills, said the concern was that the mudslips have occurred after a long dry spell, and not at the end of the monsoon when the earth is saturated with water and the hills are vulnerable. “This is why most major landslides in the past had occurred in September which is the fag end of the monsoon,” Rao, whose NGO works on landslides, said.

It is an accepted fact among most experts that landslides occur in areas where the terrain has been altered for the construction of roads, houses and other utilities. “The frequent landslides at 27th Mile is because of the construction of the hydel project on the river Teesta in the area,” alleged a member of an NGO which had opposed the project since its planning stage.

Admittedly, the scale of the recent landslides in most of the places is not big barring the one at Birik, 45km from Siliguri, on NH31A on Friday. The Birik landslides (there was one on Sunday night as well), most agree, may have occurred because of a combination of human and natural factors: cutting of the hillside and the rains.

The BRO, which is widening the road at Birik as part of its project to double-lane NH31A that connects Sikkim to the rest of the country, said once the work is completed, retention walls would be constructed along the hillside as a protective measure against landslides.

“The area is among the 28 identified troubled spots between Sevoke and Teesta. However, we are confident that once we complete our work, landslides will not pose much of a problem in the area,” said a BRO sources.

Even this evening, traffic was moving in a single file at Birick with the debris yet to be cleared.

(The Telegraph)

Sikkim’s only connecting road cut off at night

Gangtok, June 17: The rain also triggered mudslides at three places on National Highway 31A, the last one at Birik that cut off Sikkim from the rest of the country around 7.30pm. The road is unlikely to be ready for traffic till tomorrow afternoon, Border Roads Organisation sources said. Earlier in the day, nearly 500 vehicles were held up for five hours because of debris on the road at 27th Mile and at Setijhora, 37km from Kalimpong.

Weather officials said the districts could experience more rain for the next 48 hours but the situation should ease up by tomorrow afternoon.

On NH31A, the mudslides occurred at 27th Mile and near Setijhora, both in Kalimpong subdivision, between 6am and 7am. The BRO sources said the highway had been cleared of debris at Setijhora and the road on that stretch was opened to traffic at 6.30pm.

But the BRO workers had a tough time clearing the mud at 27th Mile, 25km from Kalimpong, and restoring traffic on the road because of a pick-up van that had got stuck in the slush. “Two cranes struggled to retrieve the van from the slush. We managed to clear the road by 12.30pm,” said a BRO source. Some of the commuters stuck in the vehicles walked across the mudslides to avail of transport on the other side. “Around 500 vehicles were left stranded on both sides of the highway,” said an eyewitness said. The third landslide occurred at Birik, between Setjhora and 27th Mile, around 7.30pm.

The highest rainfall in the past 24 hours was recorded in Cooch Behar with 54mm, followed by Kalimpong 38mm, Darjeeling 31.8mm and Gangtok 13mm.

Sikkim & Bengal to be linked via flyover by BRO

GANGTOK: The Border Roads Organization (BRO) is considering the construction of a 1-km flyover from Rangpo Mining to the Rangpo border at Mansoong, that connects West Bengal, at a cost of Rs100 crore.

Major landslides are a common occurrence on the 100-km National Highway 31 A that links Siliguri with Gangtok. Restoration of traffic takes two to 10 days.

The BRO technician has earmarked 75 spots, 28 of which lie on on Sikkim`s 40 km stretch. The remaining 47 spots lie on the West Bengal`s 60-km stretch from Sevoke Coronation Bridge to Ranipool, near Gangtok. A superintendent of BRO 764 Task force commandant based at Kalimpong, Manav Prasad, has informed.
The BRO is also constructing another flyover and one-km tunnel from Kumrek to Mining ground at a cost of Rs 30 crore. Another 200-mt tunnel will also replace the existing tunnel at Chisopani ahead of Singtam at a cost of Rs 8 crore.
Referring to the incomplete repairing and double-lane road extending work, Prasad has laid the onus on Darjeeling bandhs called in January and February. Moreover, they are yet to receive clearance from the departments concerned in Sevoke to Teesta, where some stretches passed through the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary and Baikuntapur forest.

Prasad adds, "We hope to complete the restoration works of main thoroughfare of only connecting roads with mainline via Siliguri by May. Over 500 labourers have been equipped with seven large excavators and other machines for road widening and landslide spots mitigation."

BRO personnel killed in a mishap on Nathu La-Gangtok highway

Gangtok,April30 : A Border Roads Organization (BRO) personnel Lakpa Tamang was killed in a road accident on the Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg between Gangtok and Nathu La two days ago, according to a BRO release today.
Tamang, a member of Project Swastik team maintaning the strategic highway between Gangtok and Nathu La, fell down the slope alongwith the ill-fated dozer on April 26 last while he was engaged in the task of clearance of accumulated muck there due to landslides, it said.

The mishap took place due to mechanical problems in the dozer, the release said.
The 28 year-old BRO personnel had helped the dozer driver and several members of his unit to move to safe place in the nick of time, it said.
The BRO will provide necessary assistance and help to his family, the release added.

SIKKIM TUNNEL PLANNED

Gangtok,Nov12:Tunnel to remove traffic bottleneck on Sikkim highway Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling with two Border Roads Organisation officials after he laid the foundation stone of an 80-metre-long tunnel in Bardang, a landslide-prone zone on National Highway 31A, on Wednesday. The tunnel at Bardang, 35km from Sikkim capital Gangtok, will be carried out by the Project Swastik of the BRO, which looks after the maintenance of the highway. The eight-metre wide and nine-metre high tunnel will be motorable for trucks and other heavy vehicles. The cost of the project will be Rs 6.77 crore. The area is a perpetual trouble spot on NH31A and BRO personnel often brave inclement weather and risk their lives to clear the stone, muck and debris that block the highway after landslides. ‘The highway at Bardang gets closed frequently in monsoon because of landslides. Removing the debris and constructing walls along the hills for traffic are temporary measures, which we have been doing so far. Now a tunnel has been planned,’ said Project Swastik Brigadier RK Patyal. .

NH 31-A gets a facelift

GANGTOK, September 7: Giving a serious thought about the bad road conditions on some stretch along the National Highway 31-A, the Border Road Organization (BRO) is according top priority towards the much-needed facelift of the Highway.
De-congesting the roads with the one way traffic and bye-passing of the roads at certain places between Siliguri to Gangtok are in the priority list of BRO, it has been learnt.
SP Sharma, Director of Works Swastik Division informed media that although gradual works have been started since the month of June, progress in works will be seen from the first week of October. “Bye-pass roads will be constructed in small towns, which comes across the National Highway,” he said.
While stating that the concerned Ministry under Government of India has allocated the fund for the said purpose, Mr. Sharma said that the work is expected to be over by 2012.
Talking about the three landslides prone zones along the Highway, the Director said an artificial tunnel would be built up at Bardang with the diversion road avoiding the landslide mishap during monsoons. This work is expected to get over by next monsoon, he added.
To tackle regular landslide at 9th Mile and Kapur towards Teesta, the BRO is taking help from the State Mines and Geology Department to divert the water flow and to channelize the road. “Here the road would be realigned 300m upside the road,” Mr. Sharma said.
BRO has also identified 21 minor trouble areas with narrow roads and landslides.
“We are putting our level best to make the Siliguri-Gangtok National Highway as one of the best highways in the country and we assure no more troubles would be faced by the people after the completion of the works by 2012,” the Director said.

BRO GREF restores NH-31 road block

GANGTOK, August 21: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and GREF yesterday restored a series of road blocks along the National Highway 31-A.
A series of landslides had occurred along the West Bengal portion of NH-31A (Road Sevoke - Rangpo -Gangtok), Road Damdim - Algarah – Rishi triggered by cloud burst.
The incessant rains of August 19 and 20 had led to the cloud burst near Melli on August 20.
BRO and GREF had deployed all their resources in the area removing the debris for traffic.
With coordination from West Bengal Police and Sikkim Home Department, normal traffic resumed at 4 pm

NOC from Mines & Geology to be required by Sikkim depts for new construction projects

BRO to give first offer to Mines & Geology dept in future projects

GANGTOK, August 7: The State Mines, Minerals & Geology department may find itself as a prominent cog in the developmental projects in the State if well intentioned proposals of the State government go ahead as planned.
The State government has already set in motion two proposals that will call for the expertise of the Mines, Minerals & Geology department by different agencies while undertaking new developmental projects that requires constructions especially those of roads.
Construction of roads in the hilly terrain has sometimes set the alarm bells ringing among the environmentalists, pollution control board and other stakeholders keeping in view of regular slides and damage to biodiversity.
The extensive excavation works being conducted during the Nathu La road widening project creating slush and other impacts by Border Roads Organization have fetched criticism from the State government in the past.
In a recent report submitted to the State government by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) had said that there is an urgent need for taking necessary corrective measures by BRO to check siltation of the Tsomgo lake due to road excavation by constructing immediately silt traps and check dams.
During his assessment trip of the Nathu La road widening project on July 3, the State chief secretary ND Chingapa had also asked the BRO to take the State Mines & Geology department into confidence before taking up any new projects in Sikkim.
Following this directive from the Sikkim government, the Swastik Project of BRO stationed here have taken the advice of the chief secretary in a positive manner, it is informed.
Sources informed that the BRO will be giving priority to the Mines & Geology department for upcoming new projects in Sikkim.
While floating new tenders for new soil testing and other investigative works prior to undertake future projects, the BRO will give the first offer to the State Mines & Geology department, sources informed.
The BRO cannot do anything on the present ongoing activities as the works have already started, it is informed.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the chief secretary has already passed an order during a recent coordination meeting of the departmental heads on June that a no objection certificate from Mines & Geology department is compulsory for any construction activities by the departments.
The order has been passed and notification to that effect will be soon issued directing all the departments to take NOCs from the Mines & Geology department while undertaking construction activities from now on, it is informed.
With the Mines & Geology department on track to deeper involvement in developmental activities, the department has claimed that it is capable of delivering the goods.
“The department is quite capable of delivering good inputs and all our five geologists are very much in demand these days and their services are being used by various government departments”, said T Tashi, director, Mines & Geology department. He also underlined the importance of geologists whose inputs and suggestions can save a lot of time and money for construction projects.

TARKHOLA STRETCH TO OPEN FOR ALL VEHICLES

Gangtok:, 7 October :The Tarkhola stretch along the National Highway 31-A will be opened for all vehicles from October 5. Tired by long traffic jams because of the temporary single way road constructed by the Border Roads Organisations, drivers have breathed a sigh of relief over the news.The 50 mtr road at Tarkhola attached with Tarkhola Bridge was washed away on September 17 causing much difficulty for transportation. The persistent rains had triggered large scale road damage that led to the complete collapse of the road and the bridge. Refilling works caused due to landslips and cave ins have are been carried out rapidly to meet the deadline.

TARKHOLA STRETCH TO OPEN FOR ALL VEHICLES FROM TODAY

RANGPO, October05: The Tarkhola stretch along the National Highway 31-A will be opened for all vehicles from October 5.
Tired by long traffic jams because of the temporary single way road constructed by the Border Roads Organisations, drivers have breathed a sigh of relief over the news.
The 50 mtr road at Tarkhola attached with Tarkhola Bridge was washed away on September 17 causing much difficulty for transportation. The persistent rains had triggered large scale road damage that led to the complete collapse of the road and the bridge. Refilling works caused due to landslips and cave ins have are been carried out rapidly to meet the deadline

BRO reopens North Sikkim road link

Gangtok, Sept. 16: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has set up a new Bailey bridge over the Teesta in Zema, North Sikkim, three weeks after a pair of similar bridges at the spot were washed away in a flash flood.
The 120ft-long bridge was opened to traffic on Friday.
“The 86 RCC, a unit of the Border Roads Task Force, prepared the site and constructed the abutment. Once that was done, the bridge was set up in less than 24 hours,” a BRO official said.
The two Bailey bridges that connected Thangu, Gurudongmar and other alpine areas of North Sikkim with the rest of the state were washed away by a flash flood on August 25. The flood had also damaged 800 metres of the road.
Around 200 Lachenpas, who practice shifting cultivation, and large number of army jawans posted in the border areas remained cut off for the intervening period.
Before the new bridge was set up, army engineers had put in place a cable way to facilitate supply of essential stores and ration to the troops.

Border Roads Organisation(BRO) takes Sikkim Media on Tour of Affected Areas

Gangtok ,Sept16: Border Roads Organisation(BRO) has organised a tour programme of journalists and media people to the affected landslide zones of NH-31 A highway that connects to Sikkim to demonstrate the kind of work it is doing and engaged into portion of highway which have been breached by natural calamities and extensive damages it has suffered on these road links .

This tour was also in response to The Chief Minister, Dr.Pawan Chamling's letter to the Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh drawing his attention to the poor state of maintenance of the 31A National Highway and Border Roads Organisation(BRO) are not keeping required manpower and machineries to deal with natural calamities like landslides that occur frequently along the 31A NH.

Shri Dikshit has also informed to the journalists that it has adequate manpower and material or machineries to cope up with situation that often results in blocking the connectivity to Sikkim.However the scale of natural calamities and scale of damages it has caused to NH-31A is much more massive and bigger than historically they were dealing with. Mr.Dikshit apprised to all that recent incessant rains have triggered many major landslides along the 31 A NH in a number of places which has resulted in cutting off Sikkim completely from the rest of the country.However,it has enagaged men and machineries at all points to restore the highway at earliest.These important points are near Kali jhora and Coronation bridge, Hathisuray, Chitray, Labor -botey, Tar Khola located along the 31A NH and Lava-Algaraj road.

It has also informed about the decision of Commissioner Jalpaiguri on meeting held on September 4th to handover portion of highway for maintenance to NHPC near 27th mile of Kalijhora area as it has only distablize the entire highway by building dam and compromising the stability of entire area in process although it would provide all help to NHPC if need arise.

It has also said that bailey bridge isbeing put-up at Tar Jhora similar to one it has build on zemu in northsikkim after last month flash flood damages.