Survey to extend Sevoke –Rangpo rail link to Gangtok in final stage, Nathu La survey on

SANJAY AGARWAL, EOI, RANGPO, MAY 16, 2023:  With the Sevoke –Rangpo Railway Project due for completion in December 2024, the survey for the extension of the rail link to Gangtok is also understood to be in the final stage and its construction may start within some time. The survey has also started to extend the railway project further from Gangtok to Nathu La, on the India – China border. 

Chairman and Managing Director of Ircon International B. K. Gupta, who is currently on an inspection of the Sevoke –Rangpo Railway Project, told reporters on Monday that with the completion of the project the Himalayan state of Sikkim would be on the railway map of the country. 

“It is a national project and is very important for the overall development of the state of Sikkim.”

Once completed, it was expected to boost the connectivity of the landlocked state which was strategically important, being on the borders of three neighbouring countries: China, Nepal and Bhutan. 

The work was going on at a fast pace and the project could be completed within the time-limit of December 2024.

Since the road connectivity between Siliguri and Sikkim was not good, the railway service would play a major role in the connectivity between West Bengal and Sikkim, he said. In recent times, there have been many reports from local and foreign tourists arriving at Siliguri, New Jalpaiguri and Bagdogra of being cheated by a section of transport operators. 

With the start of the train service, however, tourists would arrive directly in Sikkim. They would reach Rangpo from Siliguri in just one hour with the help of the train service. The railway connection would provide a reliable and affordable transport infrastructure. 

The nationally important project would come at a cost, however, he said. The cost of the Sevoke – Rangpo project had already escalated 10 times due to inflation. 

In October 2009, at the time of laying the foundation stone of the project, the total cost was estimated at Rs 1,340crore. Now the cost was estimated to exceed Rs 12,500 crore