Bengal-Sikkim tussle over NH-10

Rohit Khanna,TNN | Aug 11, 2015, KOLKATA: The Bengal government, which wants control of the National Highway connecting Sevoke with Sikkim, has run into troubled waters. The Sikkim government has refused to transfer the highway to states. In a letter to the prime minister's office two weeks ago, the Sikkim government said it wants the road to be entrusted with some central agency.

The proposal to hand over execution and maintenance work of National Highway 10, earlier known as National Highway 31A, was mooted a few years back. The road, which serves as a lifeline to Sikkim, is so far being maintained by the Border Roads Organisation. While a portion of it is in Bengal, the larger stretch lies in Sikkim. Early this year, it was decided by the ministry of road transport and highways that the road will be handed over to the respective states. Trouble started a few months back after Sikkim pleaded that the road be entrusted with a central agency like BRO or National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.

According to Sikkim PWD sources, the state is not ready to take up the responsibility of maintaining the highway as central agencies are better equipped to handle them. 

"The road being strategic to India's defence, it should be with any of the central agencies. Moreover, these agencies are equipped to handle situations created due to frequent landslides," said a Sikkim PWD official. 

Meanwhile, the Bengal government has written to the ministry claiming they are ready to be entrusted with the road. 

"It is an utility service and the process of entrusting the road with us is on and is likely to take around six months. It will be entrusted with the NH wing of the state PWD," said state PWD minister Shankar Chakravorti.