Statesman News Service
KALIMPONG, Aug. 18. — The NH-31A blockade at Lekhuvir, 22 km from here, was finally cleared on the fifth day today. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials said that three bulldozers and other vehicles were used to clear the debris. “We have been halting the traffic for clearing the minor boulders that have been rolling down from time to time,” a senior BRO official said.
The NH-31A is a major link between Siliguri, Sikkim and Kalimpong. The work of clearing the road was hampered due to continuous shower of boulders and rubble. “We also faced problems while regulating the traffic. Almost 500 heavy vehicles made their way to their respective destination this morning,” the official said.
The main landslide that had occurred at 8 pm on Saturday, had resulted in a pile spread over 130-meter stretch of road. The prices of essential commodities rose following the landslide.