HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 16: Tunnel no. T-14 of the Sivok – Rangpo Rail Project (SRRP) has achieved another milestone by completing the final Concrete lining on May 15. Last year, the milestone of breakthrough of this tunnel was achieved and completion of final concrete lining is a marvellous achievement by the Engineers involved in this project.
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In March 2023, the Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw also inspected this tunnel and appreciated the work. Finally, the auspicious occasion of completion of final concrete lining is marked as a significant event in the history of this project.
This tunnel is the gateway of railway network to the State of Sikkim. The tunnel is about 1977 m long and is situated in the Rangpo Sub-Division of District Pakyong, Sikkim. This tunnel has achieved the credit of being the first in completion of final concrete lining out of 14 tunnels of the Project. The tunnel is located in between Kumrek and Khanikhola in East Sikkim region and traverses through challenging geological conditions of the Lesser Himalaya. New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) has been adopted for the completion of tunnel through challenging and vulnerable groundmass with the supervisions of well experienced engineers from India along with highly experienced foreign engineers in this project. The track linking works will be next activity going to start through this tunnel very soon. Rangpo Station situated just after the Tunnel No. T-14 is also under construction and on completion will be a commercial and tourism hub for the State of Sikkim. This railway project will enhance the standard of socio-economic status of the state.
This New Rail Link Project from Sivok to Rangpo is about 45 kms long and is characterised by 14 nos. tunnels, 22 nos. bridges and 5 nos. stations including an underground station at Teesta Bazar, W.B. About 38 kms of the entire project alignment is passing through tunnels, about 76% of tunnelling work has already been completed. The mining work at 6 tunnels already completed and many are on the verge of completion of mining. The final concrete lining works at other tunnels have also started. At present all the activities related to construction of tunnels, bridges and stations on this project are in progress on war footing basis and targeted to complete by December, 2024. This is one of the prestigious ongoing National projects in India and on completion of this project, first time the state of Sikkim will be connected via railways.
