Landslide blocks Sikkim and Kalimpong roads

Siliguri, Jun 23 (UNI) Sikkim continued to remain cut-off from the rest of the country despite the withdrawal of Darjeeling strike withdrawn as mudslides and boulders blocked the Highway leading to Gangtok, preventing traffic of essentials.

Official sources said some huge boulders fell from uphill blocked the NH 31A at SNT Jhora near Coronation bridge preventing vehicular traffic cvarrying essentials to Gangtok and Kalimpong since morning.

The road was opened only last evening after Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, spearheading movement for a separate state, relaxed strike for 60 hours until Wednesday morning.

Superintendent of police Rahul Srivastava said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has deployed its force to restore the traffic.

He said the traffic is expected to normalise by tomorrow morning.

SDPO, Kurseong, Rakesh Singh and additional SP K B Dorjee have been assigned to esnure restoration of traffic as early as possible so that essential commodities are transported to Sikkim and Kalimpong. Food scarcity was reported from all the hills in the Eastern Himalaya following strike and agitation in Darjeeling.

The GJM had called indefinite strike but since Monday in withdrew the same for 60 hours.

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