Monsoon inundates BRO with challenges

Stones shoot down the Theng slide zone in North Sikkim. BRO proposes to tunnel through this trouble-spot. Officials inform that this project for an 800 metre long tunnel at this spot is an advanced stage of surveys and studies.

RESOURCES BEING HARNESSED TO ENSURE SMOOTH TRAFFIC IN THE STATE, BRO ASSURES
GANGTOK, 11 July: With the monsoon season picking up pace in Sikkim road conditions become the primary concern of citizens as well as government and other road agencies in the state particularly the Border Roads Organisation which is the primary agency tasked with the responsibility to keep the roads free of blockade.
In view of the monsoon and the likelihood of landslides in multiple areas including chronic trouble spots and new eruptions the BRO has dedicated its resources from its other works such as road widening, surfacing, etc to ensuring smooth traffic in the state including in North Sikkim informed Col. UC Prasad, BRO.  Sikkim being accessible only via road this becomes imperative along with the fact that North Sikkim is important for strategic reasons as well.
In fact BRO has proposed to construct tunnels through certain trouble spots including one at Theng in North Sikkim where there is an active slide and which is particularly dangerous as there are shooting boulders and rocks which endanger any clearing activity. Another tunnel is proposed at 13th Mile and 17th Mile on the JN Road on the way to Nathula.
At present, the route is blocked due to a massive slide at 17th Mile which has washed out 200 m of road. Col. UC Prasad informed that they are now cutting into the slide to make a roadway which will be 300 m in length. There is also a proposal for a tunnel at Chisopani along the national highway. While the proposal for the Theng tunnel is at an advanced stage surveys and studies are being conducted for the other proposals of tunnel construction in coordination with the Geological Survey of India.
With an average of 3 landslides daily, especially frequent on the North Sikkim roads, the BRO is hard-pressed to maintain smooth road connectivity in the state especially along the national highway and North Sikkim. Also in view of the tendency of the public to blame BRO for road blockages, the BRO maintains that it has been doing its best in clearing landslides particularly on the national highway where it has been clearing the roads for traffic within hours.
BRO officials give the example of the recent landslide at Biring along the highway where the slide was cleared within 4 hours.  The BRO maintains that it is probably the only agency in the country which can deal with the terrain like that of Sikkim as far as road and bridge construction is concerned especially in the monsoon season.
The BRO has deployed a fleet of 16 JCBs, 16 dozers, 6 excavators, 30 tippers and around 400 labourers to maintain the highway including the North Sikkim highway stated Col. UC Prasad explaining the resources that the BRO had dedicated to maintain smooth traffic along the states roads. With an approximate road stretch of 1400 km including the national highway through and about Kalimpong and the roads of North Sikkim BRO officials explain that they get information by 6 AM each morning on the status of roads from their detachments following which necessary action is immediately taken. Support is also available from the Army when required.
Recently in June the BRO ensured connectivity along the Chungthang – Lachen stretch when the Phimchu bridge collapsed and it took up work on a war footing to make it pliable for light vehicles and then for heavy vehicles as well a few days later. Then again there was a major landslide on the national highway near Singtam which also damaged a hydraulic tracked excavator. The slide was cleared the same day. At the moment, the BRO is dealing with a major landslide at 17th mile on the JN Road to Nathula which has washed out 200 m of road. Restoration work is being carried out on a war footing and is tentatively scheduled to be reopened for traffic by next week, it is informed.