Raju Bista urges for replacementof Coronation Bridge

EOI, NEW DELHI, MARCH 21, 2022:  A strong demand was made in Lok Sabha on Monday to speed up construction of border roads in north Bengal and the north-eastern states, including an alternative highway from Siliguri to Darjeeling. BJP member from Darjeeling, Raju Bista, also urged the Centre to speed up construction of a new bridge to replace the 100-year-old Coronation Bridge which is an important link between north Bengal and the north-east.

"The 100-year-old Coronation Bridge is in a very poor condition and needs urgent replacement," Bista said, participating in the debate in Lok Sabha on the Demand for Grants of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The Coronation Bridge is located in the narrow 22-km corridor known as the Chicken's Neck which has Bangladesh on one side and Nepal on the other, making it strategically very important. The Chicken's Neck area has become a bottleneck," he said, highlighting the traffic congestion in and around the Siliguri region.

"There  is  a  need  to  speed  up  road construction in the border region," Bista said  noting  that  the  north  Bengal  and Sikkim region was crucial as it shared borders with China, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bista also urged the ministry to set up at least three ropeways in Darjeeling to link remote areas. (PTI)