Alternative Siliguri-Sikkim route on the anvil


FROM THE STATESMAN
BY PRANESH SARKAR

KOLKATA, 1 AUG: In a bid to ensure that Sikkim remains connected with Siliguri throughout the year, the state government has taken up an initiative to establish an alternative route avoiding the heartlands of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM).

The state government has handed over a 95 kilometre long road, which passes through the Dooars, to the Border Road Organisation (BRO) so that it could be converted into an alternative road to Sikkim.

Right now, the National Highway-31 (and a portion of NH-31A) is the only road that connects to Sikkim from Siliguri.

Senior officials at the Writers’ Buildings in Kolkata said the steps have been initiated as the state government faces problems in keeping NH-31 (which becomes NH-31A after crossing the coronation bridge near Sevoke) open amidst the GJMM’s movement for a separate Gorkhaland.

“As per an order from the Supreme Court, we need to keep the road to Sikkim open throughout the year. When the GJMM movement started, it was difficult to keep the road open as the protesters blocked the road while agitating against the state. Three companies of Central paramilitary forces had to be posted on site only to keep the road open as per the court’s orders,” said an official.

The new road will help alleviate the situation by providing an alternative route to Sikkim without the state having to face problems in keeping Sikkim connected even if the NH-31 is blocked, added the official.

According to officials at Writers’ Buildings, the state public works department (PWD) has handed over a narrow road from Khuniamore in Dooars to Rachela on the Sikkim border over to the BRO to convert it to a full fledged road.

The 95-kilometre stretch of road all along avoids the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha’s stronghold areas and passes through the Dooars where the movement does not have a strong foothold.

An official said: “So far the road has been maintained partly by the PWD and partly by the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. The road is very narrow and could not be maintained on a regular basis and that is the reason why it could not be used as an alternative route to NH-31. The DGHC handed over its portion of the road to the PWD first following which the PWD handed over the entire road to the BRO to make it a viable alternative to NH-31.”

It was learnt that the BRO has already applied for permission to widen the road. An official said that the BRO would require permission from the state forest department as well because the land through which the road passes is forest land.