Kalimpong Town Hall
The visit assumes significance amid heightened concerns over the vulnerability of the Teesta basin following the devastating South Lhonak glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in 2023, when a massive surge swept down the Teesta, causing extensive destruction in Sikkim and affecting vulnerable areas of Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri downstream. Assistance will also be handed over to beneficiaries affected by the 2023 GLOF in the Teesta basin. The Kalimpong district administration has imposed traffic restrictions for the visit, with heavy vehicles barred from Kalimpong town between 6 am and 4.30 pm on Tuesday.
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Officials said the threat of a sudden water release or flash surge downstream had significantly reduced, though round-the-clock surveillance of river levels and slope stability continues. After reaching Siliguri, Adhikari is expected to travel to Kalimpong, where he will meet officials and attend a public distribution programme at 11am. The visit comes two days after a major landslide in Mangan district, where a substantial section of the hillside along the newly cut Naga-Tosa Road in the Naga Forest area collapsed near the confluence of the Teesta and Chyakoong rivers, opposite the Theng Tunnel. The debris partially obstructed the flow of both rivers, leading to water accumulation and concerns over a possible sudden release of impounded water and a downstream surge. Chungthang police and personnel at the Theng Check Post were deployed to monitor the site, while the police control room was asked to keep vulnerable areas along the lower Teesta belt under watch. The situation has since shown signs of stabilising. A subsequent assessment by the Mangan district administration found that the natural river channel had opened further, allowing water to discharge at a steady pace. No-parking restrictions have also been imposed along several key roads. Adhikari is expected to return to Bagdogra Airport by road after his Kalimpong engagements and fly back to Kolkata. Download the TOI App.
Siliguri: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari will visit Kalimpong for the first time on Tuesday and chair an administrative review meeting at Uttarkanya, the state govt’s branch secretariat, on the flood situation in north Bengal and preparedness for possible emergencies.