Work at first ever railway line to Sikkim begins

Work on the construction of the railway line between Sevoke in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district and Rangpo in Sikkim, which will be the first ever rail line in the Himalayan State, commenced recently.

According to a press release issued by Ircon International, the PSU under the Ministry of Railways which is executing the construction of the 44.4 kilometre line, the estimated cost of the project is Rs. 3,300 crore and will be completed in 5 years.

More than 70 percent of the proposed railway line would pass through tunnels as it cuts through the foothills of the Kanchanjungha mountain range and the valley of River Teista. The construction would also span across deep gorges and valleys.

This will the first ever rail link to Sikkim and the project will is expected to boost tourism and the economy of the State.

The extension of Railway services to Gangtok is also on the anvil with surveys on possible rail links being carried out.