मुख्य पृष्ठमा फर्कनुहोस् सम्पादकीय नीति र तथ्य जाँच

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GANGTOK, SEPT 18: The Sikkim government is intensifying efforts to restore, upgrade and maintain road connectivity across the state, with the government facing continuing challenges from the Teesta floods, monsoon damage and the state’s difficult mountainous terrain.

Roads and Bridges Minister N. B. Dahal, addressing a press conference in Gangtok on Thursday, said the government was making sustained efforts to improve connectivity despite the challenges posed by Sikkim’s geography and recurring natural disasters.

He said road projects worth more than Rs 10,000 crore have been taken up in coordination with various Central and state government agencies, with several projects at advanced stages of implementation and finalisation.

Dahal said the government was adopting technology-driven solutions to improve the quality and durability of roads. More than 572 km of roads have been taken up under the Mastic Asphalt system, while a comprehensive policy on climate-resilient roads is also under active consideration. Under the system, contractors would be required to maintain the roads for seven years as part of mandatory compliance.

At present, more than 3,200 km of roads are under the state government, while over 700 km are under various Central government agencies.

Apart from this, the Rural Development Department has undertaken more than 1,000 km of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and other funding agencies, keeping rural connectivity on a priority basis, the minister said.

Dahal said rural connectivity is the backbone of Sikkim’s tourism sector, besides supporting agriculture, trade, economic activities and overall development. Strengthening rural roads has therefore been accorded priority by the present SKM government, he said.

Responding to criticism over the condition of roads in the state, Dahal said the government was dealing with the consequences of recurring natural phenomena and disasters while simultaneously undertaking reconstruction, upgradation and maintenance works.

He appealed for collective support towards these efforts instead of creating unnecessary alarm over the condition of roads. “We are fighting with natural phenomena and disasters to upkeep road connectivity,” he said, adding that the focus should be on supporting reconstruction, upgradation and maintenance of the state’s road network.

The minister also said the present government was facing several hurdles arising from approaches and pending issues inherited from the previous government, particularly relating to land acquisition and compliance requirements.

According to Dahal, delays and non-compliance in land acquisition processes have created difficulties for the department in taking forward road construction, widening, upgradation and surfacing works. These issues, he said, have affected the smooth execution of several projects.

The Adampool-Sichey road, aimed at easing traffic congestion in Gangtok, has already been tendered and the work order awarded. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.

The minister also highlighted the extensive restoration work undertaken following the Teesta floods, which washed away as many as seven bridges connecting northern Sikkim. He said restoring these bridges was particularly important given the strategic significance of northern Sikkim, and that substantial progress had been made despite the state's ecological and geographical challenges.

He said the important Sriwani bridge near Singtam, which will strengthen connectivity between eastern and southern Sikkim, is under advanced stages of construction and is expected to be completed within two years. The bridge, he added, would also strengthen economic connectivity with western parts of the state.

The upgradation and maintenance of the Rabongla-Legship and Legship-Jorethang roads are targeted for completion by the end of this year, while work on the Singla connectivity route linking western Sikkim with Darjeeling district has also been awarded.

The proposed four-lane Gorakhpur-Bagdogra-Gangtok connectivity project is in the final stage of finalisation, while the 23-km Melli-Singtam road has been put up for tender. The Rangpo-Gangtok road will also be upgraded to double-lane standards by NHIDCL following Central government approval.

The Ranka-Bhojoghari road is nearing completion, while the Makha-Dikchu road is targeted for completion by December. On the long-standing S-Turning problem, Dahal said the DPR is in its final stage and, once approved by the Centre, the project would be implemented in mission mode.

He added that the Chewabhanjang-Corridor road is targeted for completion within 36 months.

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