Gangtok: Heavy rainfall in Geyzing since 6 pm on Tuesday triggered multiple landslides along the Geyzing–Legship road, disrupting vehicular movement and cutting off the main road link to the district headquarters.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Geyzing recorded 95.2 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. District Magistrate of Geyzing, Tenzing Denzongpa, said information about the landslide was received at around 9 pm on Tuesday.
“The major slide occurred about two kilometres from Geyzing town near a government school at Omchung. There is a jhora (stream) nearby and there have been previous instances of sludge from the hillside spilling onto the road. However, this time the landslide also brought down large boulders,” Denzongpa said.
He said sludge and boulders had spread across the roadway, forcing the closure of the crucial Geyzing–Legship route.
“The debris may have originated from the Geyzing–Sakyong road area. Excavators have been deployed and clearance operations are underway. It may take another four to five hours to restore traffic movement,” he added.
Meanwhile, Zilla Panchayat member from the 15-Geyzing Territorial Constituency, Sagar Sharma, said landslides had affected at least three locations along the road.
“One major slide has occurred near Omchung, another just below the main slide area, while a third landslide has been reported near Legship,” he said.
Expressing concern over recurring disruptions, Sharma alleged that the issue remained unresolved despite repeated discussions.
“Due to negligence by the Public Works Department and NHIDCL, this stretch continues to witness landslides every monsoon without any permanent restoration measures. The matter is raised every year in DISHA Monitoring Committee meetings, but no long-term solution has been implemented,” he said.
Sharma further noted that the Geyzing–Legship road serves as the district’s primary lifeline.
“There is no alternative road available, making this route critical for the movement of people, goods and emergency services,” he added.
Authorities have urged commuters to avoid the affected stretch until clearance operations are completed and traffic movement is restored.
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