Two phases of night closure
According to sources, the first phase of the restriction will run from October 7 to 15.
The second phase is scheduled from October 26 to November 5.
During both periods, no vehicles will be permitted to use the affected section between 9pm and 6am. The restriction will apply to all categories of vehicles.
The daytime movement of vehicles will therefore continue, but travellers planning to cross the stretch at night will need to adjust their schedules.
NHIDCL, which is responsible for maintaining the highway, has cited safety concerns associated with the repair work as the reason for the temporary closure.
Repairs planned along 52km stretch
The maintenance work will cover the NH10 section between Sevoke’s Coronation Bridge and Rangpo.
NHIDCL is expected to undertake excavation, slope-protection measures and work aimed at mitigating landslide risks.
The stretch is particularly vulnerable to landslides because of its mountainous terrain and exposure to heavy monsoon rainfall.
NH10 is a critical transport corridor for Sikkim and the eastern Himalayan region. Apart from carrying regular passenger and commercial traffic, the highway is heavily used by tourists travelling between the plains and destinations such as Kalimpong, Darjeeling and Sikkim.
NHIDCL sources have described the repairs as urgent, saying some sections of the highway have become dangerous and require immediate intervention to prevent a larger accident or disruption.
Closure coincides with peak tourism season
The timing of the restrictions has become a concern for tourism operators because the closures coincide with the revival of tourist traffic after the monsoon season.
The period includes Durga Puja, Dasain and Diwali, when large numbers of visitors typically travel towards the Himalayan destinations of north Bengal and Sikkim.
Tourism businesses have already begun preparing for the seasonal increase in visitors, with hotels, homestays, transport operators and travel agencies receiving advance bookings.
The night-time closure could make it more difficult for tourists arriving from airports and railway stations in the plains to reach the hills according to their original itineraries.
Tourism bodies seek postponement
Tourism organisations have appealed to NHIDCL to defer the maintenance work until the winter months, when tourist traffic is expected to be lower.
Tanmoy Goswami, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network, has requested that the agency reconsider the schedule.
He pointed out that NH10 is an essential route for visitors travelling towards Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and other Himalayan destinations.
Goswami also highlighted the importance of evening travel for tourists and for businesses dependent on movement between the plains and the hills.
He said a complete night closure could disrupt travel plans, affect pre-booked itineraries and create concerns about accessibility to the region.
According to the tourism body, the restrictions could also affect the wider local economy, which depends significantly on tourism-related activity.
Tour operators concerned about advance bookings
The Eastern Himalaya Travel and Tour Operators Association has also urged NHIDCL to reconsider the timing of the repairs.
Its president, Debasis Maitra, said many visitors had planned their holidays months in advance.
Travellers may already have booked hotels, homestays, vehicles, trains and flights, making sudden changes to their schedules difficult.
The night closure could force tour operators to rearrange itineraries or find alternative travel arrangements for visitors reaching the region during the restricted hours.
Maitra suggested that the maintenance work instead be carried out during winter, when tourist inflow is expected to be lower.
The concern is particularly relevant during the festive period, when travel demand typically rises sharply.
Why NH10 repairs are considered urgent
While tourism bodies have raised concerns about the timing, NHIDCL sources have stressed that the maintenance cannot be indefinitely postponed.
The agency has identified certain sections as dangerous and requiring immediate repairs.
The planned work includes slope protection and landslide mitigation, which are intended to reduce the risk of further damage to the highway.
The region has experienced repeated landslides during periods of heavy rain, affecting both passenger and commercial movement.
Delaying necessary repairs could therefore carry its own risks, particularly if vulnerable stretches deteriorate further during subsequent weather events.
The night-time closure has been chosen to allow workers to carry out potentially hazardous excavation and slope-related work while reducing the risk to motorists.
Impact on travellers
Visitors travelling towards Sikkim, Kalimpong and the Darjeeling hills during the restriction periods will need to plan their journeys carefully.
Those crossing the affected stretch before 9pm or after 6am can continue to use NH10, subject to road and weather conditions.
However, travellers whose vehicles reach the Sevoke-Rangpo section during the restricted hours will not be allowed through.
Tour operators may therefore have to modify arrival and departure timings, particularly for visitors connecting from late-evening trains or flights.
Transport operators carrying goods between the plains and the hills may also have to adjust their schedules to avoid the closure window.
Balancing safety and tourism
The dispute over the NH10 schedule highlights the challenge of maintaining critical mountain infrastructure while keeping a major tourist corridor accessible.
For NHIDCL, the immediate priority is road safety and preventing further deterioration of vulnerable stretches.
For tourism operators, the concern is that the restrictions have been scheduled during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Both sides have therefore focused on different aspects of the same problem: ensuring the highway remains safe while minimising disruption to travellers and the local economy.
A possible adjustment to the schedule would depend on NHIDCL's assessment of the urgency of the work and whether the repairs can safely be delayed.
What travellers should know
For now, the reported schedule is:
First phase: October 7–15
Second phase: October 26–November 5
Restricted hours: 9pm–6am
Affected stretch: Sevoke’s Coronation Bridge to Rangpo
Vehicles affected: All vehicle categories
Travellers heading towards Sikkim and Kalimpong during these dates should factor the closure into their journey plans and avoid reaching the affected section during the restricted hours.
With Durga Puja and other major festivals approaching, the final decision on whether the schedule remains unchanged will be closely watched by tourism operators and travellers.
For now, NHIDCL maintains that the repairs are urgently required for safety, while tourism bodies continue to press for the work to be shifted to the winter period.
