Press Release
DT 14.3.2009
North East Frontier Railway with its headquarter at Maligaon is currently undertaking engineering cum traffic survey for a new Broad gauge Railway Line from Rangpo to Gangtok( 69KMS).
The officials of the NEF Railway today had discussions with the executive members of Sikkim Chamber of Commerce at Gangtok in Chamber’s Headquarter. The discussion related to the current and future goods and passenger’s traffic. It was informed that the railways want to connect New Delhi with all State Capitals by Rajdhani Express including Gangtok..
The border trade between India China through Nathu-La started in 2006 is entering the 4th year this coming season. As per earlier Plan the border trade is likely to be converted into full fledged international trade after the 5th year. If everything goes as per plan the volume of trade is likely to go up substantially once a full fledged international trade starts through Nathu La in the year 2011. A part of the goods traffic which moves over sea from Chinese Port to Indian Port will be shifted through Nathu La port. The widening work on Gangtok-Nathula portion of the old silk route has already started and it appears that the widened roads will be able to take the high traffic generating from Nathu la trade after 2011.
Besides the traffic pressure of the international trade, the goods traffic is gathering momentum due to the ongoing industrialization of Sikkim due to the attractive package of Excise and Income tax exemption for 10 years and transport subsidy/ Capital subsidy and concessional rate of interest for working capital provided to new industries set up in Sikkim.. A number of Pharma industries have come up who will in future target Chinese markets for their Pharma products. Currently more than 100 trucks enter Sikkim bringing raw materials for these industries and another 50 trucks go down to Siliguri with finished products. This number is miniscule and will go up manifold once the scale of investment goes up.
The construction boom & infrastructure development process has also put enormous pressure on the fragile road networks of the State. The State already imports more than 150 trucks of ration every day to feed its growing population both civil and military. The tourists arrival has already crossed three lacs per annum and will make a jump with Sikkim becoming the ultimate tourists destination for most of the Indians.
In addition to these pressures on goods and passenger traffic, the organic farm products, flower exports and traditional ginger, cardamom and herbal crop will also generate equally valuable goods traffic. The air-conditioned freight coaches will enable the flower and perishable agri products to reach the markets of North and West and South India afresh and within 30 to 48 hours.
Introduction of railway line to Gangtok will not only boost tourist traffic but make the cost of transportation substantially less as compared to road transport. The transshipment cost currently involved at NJP/Siliguri will become Zero and full racks will be able to reach Gangtok directly from Mumbai/Punjab and far corners of the country making the cost of operation lesser and lesser. Currently, the cost of truck transportation from Gangtok to Siliguri is very high for a small distance of 110 kms. After the introduction of railways, we can bring goods from far of India at a very small cost..
The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has already approved for taking up construction of new 52.7 km long broad gauge line from Sevoke in Siliguri of West Bengal to Rangpo in Sikkim.
The broad gauge rail link upto Rangpo has been approved at a cost of Rs. 1339.48 crores and has been given a ‘National Project’ status. This roughly comes to Rs. 25.41 crores per km of the rail link.
It will be funded as per the funding pattern of 25 percent from GBS for Railways and 75 percent from Ministry of finance as an additionally as has already been approved for similar other projects of North Eastern Region.
Already, nine national projects covering the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura are under construction.
The work on the Sevok-Rangpo project is expected to commence this year and is expected to be completed by 2015-16.
The engineering cum traffic survey for a new Broad gauge line from Rangpo to Gangtok ( 69KMS) is on way now and a completed report will be submitted to Railway Board before 31st March 2009 as per information available. The discussions led to the belief that the Union Government is very serious to complete the project upto Gangtok at the earliest much before 2020.
The Rangpo-Gangtok broad gauge line will see stops at the railway station of Singtam, Nimtar, Nandok and finally Bhusuk which is likely to be the railway station for Gangtok.
If everything goes as per Plan, Rangpo-Gangtok part of the rail connectivity will be a reality by 2020, it is understood.
The tourism sector, the trade sector, the industrial sector and international trade sector- all will get a boost in times to come providing more opportunities for growth, employment and revenue generation in Sikkim.
The meeting has been very fruitful with inputs both from members and the officials of Railways.
( S.K.Sarda)
President
Sikkim Chamber of Commerce
Gangtok
Dt 14.3.2009
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