Overview
- The temporary hume-pipe bridge at Dudhia on the Balason River was partly washed away by heavy monsoon rain on Friday, June 19, 2026, severing the direct road between Siliguri and Mirik.
- Traffic has been rerouted through Pankhabari and Kurseong while the Public Works Department has mobilised crews and materials and set a provisional target of four to five days to restore road movement, weather permitting.
- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered an investigation into possible construction defects or financial irregularities in the temporary works and said restoring connectivity is the administration’s top priority.
- Officials and the Central Water Commission warned that high river flows and ongoing erosion threaten the two-lane permanent bridge under construction at the same site, and the IMD has issued red and orange rainfall alerts for parts of North Bengal.
- The rain and bridge loss have caused landslides, halted some Darjeeling Himalayan Railway services, prompted calls from local MPs for a stronger interim Bailey-bridge solution with BRO or Army help, and raised immediate disruption risks for commuters, goods and tourists.