Bengal-Sikkim rail route tunnels near completion

Pinak Priya Bhattacharya | TNN | 2 Sept 20 | Jalpaiguri: All 14 tunnels on the Sivok-Rangpo railway line are nearly ready, putting the project on course to meet the completion deadline of December 2022 despite the coronavirous pandemic, the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) has said. 

Work on the project, which will put Sikkim on the Indian Railways map, had come to a halt in March after lockdown was imposed. But the railways managed to complete 7-8% of project construction, of the total 20% done so far, after Unlock it began in May. 

“First, we could not work for two months. Then, we had to reduce our workforce to ensure social distancing. But we are confident of doing that (meeting deadline) in the given time. We are planning to work double shifts now,” said NFR’s CPRO Subhanan Chanda. 

The problems were compounded by the landslide-prone hilly terrain and heavy showers. TOI has accessed a few photographs of the tunnels, constructed by IRCON (Indian Railway Construction Company) International Ltd on behalf of NFR. 

The national project was sanctioned way back in 2008-09 but could not make much headway due to environment-related issues as the proposed rail line was to pass through the Mahananda wildlife sanctuary. 

Once completed, it is expected to boost connectivity of Sikkim, a landlocked Himalayan state that shares borders with China, Nepal and Bhutan and is strategically important. 

The 44.96km rail line, of which 41.55km falls in West Bengal and the rest in Sikkim, is expected to cost around Rs 8,900 crore, of which Rs 335.5 crore have been utilized till August 2020. A new bridge over the Teesta, near Jalpaiguri in Bengal, and a new double-line track of 5.7km are expected to be completed by January 2021.

(Courtesy & source- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/bengal-sikkim-rail-route-tunnels-near-completion/articleshow/77880815.cms)