The Sevoke- Rangpo railway project railway project has received the GTA nod.The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has finally issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Sikkim’s first railway line, the Sevoke- Rangpo railway project. Chairman of the GTA Board of Administrators, Binoy Tamang said they have given the NOC for the rail line.
“GTA principal secretary Subrata Biswas has written to the Darjeeling District Magistrate, Joyoshi Das Gupta, regarding this matter on Tuesday,” Tamang said.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
GTA officials had met several railway officials in Darjeeling on 4 April and had come to a mutual understanding regarding the project, with the Railways agreeing to the various demands put forward by the GTA.
“The NOC was given as per the recent meeting with railway officials, as our demands were met and also for the benefit of the northeast region, along with Darjeeling and Sikkim. Railway officials had in the meeting maintained that the rail lines will reach Rangpo in Sikkim by 2022,” the release said.
“As soon as the rail lines start functioning in the GTA area, rail services for different places like Delhi and Guwahati and other places can be started from here,” Tamang said.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The release further stated that the Railways has agreed to their demands like four railway stations in the GTA area, while no explosives will be used for digging tunnels for the project, 80 percent of which will be underground.
Tamang further said that the total distance between Sevoke and Rangpo will be 44.98 km, and that 90 percent of the train tracks will be laid in the GTA area, which is about 41.54 km. Sikkim side will have a mere 3.44 km of the tracks.
There will be 14 tunnels along the route that will be 38.64 km in total. “No forest village will be affected by the construction of the project, and the Railways department has given this to us in writing,” reports Voice of Sikkim.