Newstrack

Sikkim wants Bengal to compensate for its tourism 'losses'

Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata

If Sikkim has its way, Bengal may have to 'compensate' for disrupting normal life and tourism in the hilly state due to frequent 'bandhs'. The 60-member Sikkim Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution seeking reimbursement from West Bengal and appealed to the Centre to rein in whosoever is responsible for disrupting the state's economy.

The resolution wants the Centre and the Bengal government to ensure smooth passage of goods carriers and passenger vehicles moving to and from Sikkim. Ram Bahadur Subba, Sikkim's Tourism & Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said, "The renewed trouble in Darjeeling and Bengal is seriously affecting our life and our economy since all our supplies move up the NH-31A, which runs through Siliguri and Darjeeling." Sikkim does not figure in the railway network of the country yet; the nearest railhead is New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is 125 kms from Gangtok. The survey work for the first-ever railway line in Sikkim has just been completed .

The situation worsened recently when an indefinite bandh called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha renewing its demand for a separate Gorkhaland crippled life in Darjeeling, cutting off Sikkim from the rest of the country.

Sikkim's long-cherished dream to figure in the railway map of India is likely to become a reality soon. The tiny hill state will soon have its first-ever railway line with the survey work recently completed. A spokesperson of Northeast Frontier Railway (Construction Division), confirmed that the survey has been submitted to the railway board. The nearest railhead at the moment is New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, which is 125 kms from Gangtok.

Further work on the project will depend on the sanction of funds by the Union Railway Ministry. Indications are that work on this project will begin towards the end of 2008. Construction of new line in Sikkim from Sevoke to Rangpo would cost Rs 1,329 crore. R Velu, Union Minister of State for Railways, stated this in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

He said, "As per the survey report, the cost of construction for this 52.7 km long line has been assessed at Rs 1,329 crore. As much as 51.7 km will fall in West Bengal with only one kilometre falling in Sikkim. The line nevertheless marks the entry of Sikkim on the Indian railway map and paves the way for further railway network in the state." The Sevoke-Rangpo rail line will be part of the first phase of railway infrastructure development for Sikkim. In the second phase, it will be extended by another 40 km up to Gangtok.