A temporary bridge at Dudhia in north Bengal was washed away after overnight heavy rain, disrupting road connectivity to Mirik and forcing authorities to restrict the movement of larger vehicles, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Bengal published on Friday.
The bridge, made with pipes, was overwhelmed as the Balason river rose following continuous rainfall in the region. Mirik is now partially cut off by road, with small vehicles reportedly continuing to use a Bailey bridge while the movement of heavy and large vehicles has been stopped.
The latest damage comes only about one-and-a-half months after the temporary Dudhia crossing was affected in a similar incident. The repeated disruption has raised immediate concerns for local residents and tourists who depend on the route between Siliguri and Mirik.
The earlier damage occurred after prolonged rain caused the Balason’s water level to rise. The report also linked that episode to the opening of gates at the Mahananda’s Fulbari barrage. Repair work on the bridge was subsequently taken up on an urgent basis, while Army personnel constructed a Bailey bridge to restore road connectivity quickly.
The temporary crossing has now been affected again after heavy rain began in several parts of north Bengal on Thursday afternoon. The rising river level eventually swept away the pipe-supported bridge, according to the report. There were no details in the source report on casualties, the extent of damage to the Bailey bridge or the expected duration of restrictions on larger vehicles.
The disruption also comes amid continuing concerns over landslides in the hill areas. The combination of intense rainfall, swollen rivers and vulnerable temporary crossings has complicated movement on roads serving the Darjeeling hills and nearby tourist destinations. The affected route is an important connection for residents, goods movement and visitors travelling between Siliguri and Mirik.
The weather conditions are expected to remain unsettled over north Bengal. The weather office attributed the rain to a low-pressure area that had moved from the region near the north Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh towards the northwest Bay of Bengal. A low-pressure trough extending from Haryana to the system was reported to pass over Jharkhand and West Bengal.
A yellow warning for heavy rain was issued for Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Friday, while several other districts were expected to receive light to moderate rain with thunderstorms. Gusty winds of 30 to 40 kilometres per hour were also forecast. Heavy rain warnings were expected for Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri on Saturday, with rainfall likely to ease from Monday, according to the report.
The immediate next steps will depend on the river level, weather conditions and the authorities’ assessment of the damaged crossing. Until access is restored, large vehicles will remain barred from the route while smaller vehicles use the Bailey bridge, the report said.
