After more than three weeks of disruption caused by the devastating hill disaster of October 4, normal transport services between Siliguri and Mirik via Dudhia has resumed from Monday morning, the Darjeeling district administration has announced.
Following the collapse of the old iron bridge at Dudhia, built in 1966, communication between Siliguri, Kurseong and Mirik had been completely severed. The region witnessed massive landslides that isolated several hill villages. Mirik was the worst affected, with travel time from Siliguri, usually two hours, stretching to nearly seven hours through alternative routes via Pankhabari, Ghum, Sonada and Kurseong.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, during her visit to the hills after the calamity, inspected the damaged bridge and promised the construction of an alternative bridge within 15 days, followed by a permanent structure. A fund of ₹54 crore has been sanctioned for the permanent bridge.
Acting swiftly, the Public Works Department (PWD) undertook the project to construct an alternative bridge, a 468-metre-long vented causeway using 132 hume pipes over the Balasan River. The construction, which began on October 10, was completed in a record 16 days under challenging conditions.
Also read: North Bengal returns to normalcy after floods and landslides
Expressing her satisfaction, the Chief Minister said, “I am happy to inform that the construction of the alternative Hume Pipe Bridge (Vented Causeway) at Dudhia has been successfully completed, connecting Mirik with Siliguri. The construction work, which started on 10.10.2025, was completed in 16 days with round-the-clock efforts in difficult terrain. I am deeply grateful to the commendable work of the PWD of West Bengal for restoring this vital connection and bringing relief to the residents and commuters.”
The newly built bridge was completed on Sunday, followed by a successful trial run. Darjeeling District Magistrate Preeti Agarwal confirmed that normal traffic has resumed from Monday morning, though heavy goods vehicles would not be allowed on the temporary bridge.
Darjeeling Superintendent of Police Praveen Prakash added that police personnel would be deployed near the bridge to regulate traffic flow and ensure safety. “Work on the Rohini Road is ongoing and the permanent Dudhia bridge is expected to be completed by July 2026,” he said.
The swift completion of the alternative bridge has brought immense relief to both locals and tourists. After three weeks of hardship, hill residents can now look forward to smoother travel and restored connectivity between Siliguri and Mirik.
Follow us
