In September 2011, the town of Tindharia located in West Bengal, India experienced a massive landslide following an earthquake and heavy rainfall. The landslide significantly affected three locations – S1 (Height 34.9m), S2 (Height 102.8m) and S3 (Height 38.7m) – resulting in the collapse of a section of roadway on the valley side of the mountain.
Part of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs through Tindharia, was also cut-off due to this landslide. There was severe socio-economic impact on the residents along the NH-110 (previously NH-55) due to stoppage of vehicular movements and shortage of key supplies.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India in collaboration with the Public Works Department (N.H. Circle-III), West Bengal took initiative to restore the landslide location and the historic road. Terre Armée India (Reinforced Earth India Pvt. Ltd.) was selected as the technology provider in this project. Terre Armée India designed a permanent and sustainable solution for the restoration of this landslide. This complex engineering project required a mix of various innovative techniques to be considered in design and construction phase.
