Band-Aid Solution?

The recurring collapse of NH-10, Sikkim’s lifeline to the plains, has once again exposed the fragile foundations of Himalayan infrastructure. The Centre is planning to build viaducts and steel structures to bypass landslide-prone stretches along NH-10, the principal highway connecting Sikkim and Kalimpong, in an attempt to tackle the recurring landslide issue. While the initiative sounds promising, it raises a crucial question—are we finally addressing the root causes or merely applying another short-term fix?

Sikkim MP Indra Hang Subba, after meeting NHIDCL chairman Krishan Kumar in New Delhi, urged the agency to deploy more manpower and machinery, identify vulnerable zones, and strengthen existing alignments before the next monsoon. He also pressed for the early sanction of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a new or alternative alignment to ensure reliable connectivity. These interventions are significant, but they must not repeat the mistakes of the past—where speed and visibility outweighed sustainability and science.

Anyone with a basic understanding of the terrain knows that NH-10’s recurrent cave-ins stem not from rainfall alone, but from toe erosion caused by the Teesta River. The river continues to gnaw at the base of the highway, weakening slopes already burdened by indiscriminate back-cutting, deforestation, and haphazard construction. Without a comprehensive geotechnical and hydrological reassessment and a multi-crore Teesta river training project, any patchwork repair will be washed away with the next flood.

Aggressive back-cutting, currently underway at the 29th Mile stretch, may appear as the only immediate solution. But without parallel slope stabilization and riverbank reinforcement, it risks triggering even larger slope failures. The NHIDCL’s technical expertise must be guided by environmental science, not bureaucratic timelines.

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) has pointed out that the state loses nearly ?100 crore each day when NH-10 remains closed. This is not just an economic setback. The frequent blockages isolate communities, cripple tourism, and disrupt the flow of essentials to the state.

Sikkim and North Bengal deserve a sustainable highway, not one that crumbles with every monsoon. Coordination between the Centre, the states, and NHIDCL must evolve from crisis management to long-term planning. The Himalayan ecosystem is inherently fragile; it cannot withstand repetitive, unscientific interventions.

The question, therefore, is not whether viaducts and steel structures can reopen NH-10 this season—but whether they can keep it open for the next decade. Without science-led planning and river management, we will continue rebuilding the same road year after year, learning nothing from the land that keeps warning us.