Sevoke-Rangpo railway project update: The has moved a step closer with the breakthrough of tunnel number 8 on the Sivok-Rangpo railway line project. This crucial project is being executed under the administrative control of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). The project aims to connect Sikkim with the national railway network and is part of the broader initiative of Indian Railways’ Capital Connectivity project.
The 44.96-km-long railway project spans across two states, with 41.55 km falling in West Bengal and the remaining 3.41 km in Sikkim. About 86 per cent (38.623 km) of the route runs through tunnels, 2.24 km through bridges and 4.79 km consists of open cutting and station yards.
The construction work involves 14 tunnels, with the longest tunnel measuring about 5.30 km and the shortest around 538 metres. The project also includes 13 major bridges and 10 minor bridges.
The 4.148-km-long tunnel number 8 is one of the major tunnels of the Sevoke-Rangpo railway line project. In a statement, the NFR said: “The excavation and mining of the tunnel were carried out under extremely challenging geological conditions, including highly weak, weathered and fractured rock strata. The work also faced additional challenges due to the uncertainties of hilly terrain and sensitivities related to the nearby NH-10 corridor.
With the successful completion of mining in Tunnel No. 8, tunnel excavation has now been completed in 13 out of the total 14 tunnels of the Sivok-Rangpo Railway Project.” The project is expected to be commissioned by December 2027.
The Sevoke-Rangpo new railway line project will have five stations. These are: Sivok, Riyang, Melli, Rangpo, and an underground halt station at Teesta Bazar.
The latest estimated cost of Sevoke-Rangpo railway project is Rs 11,973 crore. An expenditure of Rs 8,358 crore has been incurred up to March, 2025, with an outlay of Rs 2,940 crore for the year 2025-26.
