The Hindu Business Line : Sikkim to submit proposal for new highway to hills

Gangtok, Sept. 16 In a bid to reduce its dependence on the National Highway 31A, the Sikkim Government is to shortly submit to the Union Ministry for Roads and Transport the proposal for an alternative highway.

The need for an alternative highway has arisen because the political disturbance in Darjeeling hills from time to time would often spill over to the NH31A, causing suspension of movement along it and thus choking Sikkim’s lifeline.

The proposed alternative route will be through Aritar, East Sikkim, near the Indo-Bhutan border, and will open up at Chalsa in Dooars to avoid the troublesome areas in Darjeeling hills. The road map seeks to make a detour into the extreme corner of East Sikkim near West Bengal and Bhutan border and then drop into Tante and Jaldhaka and connect NH 31 at Chalsa near Sevoke in Siliguri of West Bengal.

The proposal, prepared jointly by the Sikkim Government and Project Swastik of the Border Roads Organisation, was submitted by the Sikkim Roads and Bridges Secretary, Mr G.P. Sharma, to the regional office of the Union Ministry at Guwahati on Monday.

Making a presentation before the Chief Secretary, Mr N.D. Chingapa, here on Friday at Aritar, the Road Secretary and the Chief Engineer of Swastik, Mr R.K. Patyal, said that the proposed alternative highway scheme was tentative and might need a more detailed examination.

The alternative route will push up the travelling time from Gangtok to Siliguri to at least six hours compared to the present three and half hours along the NH 31A.

The distance from Gangtok to Siliguri through the proposed route is estimated at more than 250 km. People can reach Gangtok from Siliguri via Aritrar though the proposed alternative highway either through Pakyong or Menla.

“It is better to have a road than no road at all,” Mr Sharma said in his presentation.

The Army can use this alternative highway to reach Menla (high-altitude border location) to bypass Gangtok and avoid congestion, said the Swastik head.

However, the Sikkim Government is not banking on this alternative highway proposal only to minimise the effects of bandhs. It is also exploring the possibility of pushing this alternative highway up to Tendu in Bhutan. It was informed that a track that jeeps can use exists between Aritar in East Sikkim and Tendu in Bhutan and other tracks need to be upgraded.

However, this proposal for connecting Bhutan is not yet ready. “It is still being explored,” said the Roads Secretary. This cross-border connection being an international matter, the Union Ministry of External Affairs and other Ministries concerned have to take it up with Bhutan Government.