Govind Prasad Sharma, Secretary Roads and Principal Chief Engineer, Sikkim, said, “The idea is to create an alternative route starting from Sikkim’s eastern part near Rongli into Bhutan’s Pangola range — that separates Sikkim from Bhutan — and on to Phuentsholing before it re-enters Indian territory at Chalsa in the Dooars region. An aerial survey will be conducted for the route from the first week of September. Soon after, the route feasibility will be studied on foot, that is likely to take a month”.

Sharma said the proposal was put before MORTH Secretary Brahm Dutt when he visited the state last month. “The Secretary appreciated our view that the only solution to Sikkim’s accessibility problems lies in an alternative route. He suggested that we go ahead with a feasibility after which the ministry would approach the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to further take up the issue with Bhutan,” added Sharma.

The state had been toying with Nepal and Bhutan as options for the alternative route, before finally deciding on Bhutan. The Nepal route, say officials, would be too long and complicated as western Sikkim would then have to be connected to east Nepal. Moreover, the security situation in Nepal was not found ideal for such a move.

While MORTH had recently given its go-ahead to an 80-km alternative highway parallel to NH 31A, connecting Sevoke to Ranipul along the other side of the Teesta river, the recent closure of the highway by GNLF protestors made the Sikkim Government and the Centre realise that this new highway alone would not help as NH31A was held hostage in Darjeeling itself. Marathon meetings followed, with proposals ranging from prosecution of protestors to alternative routes.

... contd.