GANGTOK: The Ministry of Railways has informed the Parliament that the Final Location Survey for Rangpo-Gangtok railway line project for Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been sanctioned while only three kms of tunnelling remains for the much-anticipated Sevoke-Rangpo rail link.
Indra Hang Subba, the lone Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, had asked Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw about the expected date of completion of Sevoke-Rangpo railway project and its cost details. He had also asked whether the Centre has received or prepared any proposal to extend the Rangpo railway line to connect capital town Gangtok, a press release informs.
In his written reply on Wednesday, the Railways minister informed that the anticipated cost of the Sevoke-Rangpo (44 km) railway project is Rs 12,132 crore. An expenditure of Rs 7,032 core has been incurred up to March, 2024, with an outlay of Rs 2,330 crore for the year 2024-25, he replied.
The Sevoke-Rangpo railway project involves about 39 km of tunneling, out of which 36 km tunneling has been completed, it was replied.
Regarding its expected date of completion, the Railways minister replied that completion of railway projects depends on various factors like land acquisition by State government, forest clearance by officials of Forest department, shifting of infringing utilities, statutory clearances from various authorities, geological and topographical conditions of area, law and order situation in the area, etc. All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the projects.
On the query related to Rangpo-Gangtok railway line (69 km), the Railways minister informed that the Final Location Survey for the Rangpo-Gangtok new line project for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been sanctioned by the ministry.
The Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, Indra Hang Subba, has welcomed the clarity provided by the Railways minister regarding the Sevoke-Rangpo railway project. He shares his optimism that the Sevoke-Rangpo railway link will be completed and commissioned latest by 2025 end, coinciding with Sikkim’s 50th Statehood Year, the release mentions.
“Sikkim is poised to enter its Golden Decade of development and progress under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Prem Singh Tamang-Golay. The timely completion and inauguration of the Sevoke-Rangpo railway link will serve as a transformative catalyst, propelling Sikkim’s growth, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sectors,” said Indra Hang Subba.
- SA Report
