Letter:
Your news dated 16th Nov, 2011 on alternative highway to Sikkim from Siliguri as proposed by me has not been correctly reported by the media. The proposed alignment does not touch Pakyong and Rhenock . Also, the tunnel below Sumen Hill is not 24km as reported.
It is only 7km. Hence, this may be considered as rejoinder to the news. My proposal is an improvement to the alignment proposed by the West Bengal Government vide Telegraph, Calcutta dated, 21st Sept 2011.
I have proposed an alignment from Bagrikote to Kafer (Sailung) to Algarah, entirely a new double lane Highway. From Algarah to Rishi, the existing road to be improved and brought to Highway standard. At Rishi, there is an existing permanent bridge (RCC). From Rishi (Sikkim) my proposal is to align a road direct to Rorathang. In between this portion a tunnel of 500m will shorten the distance by some kms. At Rorathang there is a permanent RCC bridge. From Rorathang my proposal is to follow the existing Rangpo road upto Bhasmay (about 7km from Rorathang). From Bhasmay, my proposal is to construct a tunnel of about 7km to come out in North face of Sumen Hill. From this tunnel end, a road has to be aligned to meet Pakyong-Saramsa-Ranipool road at Saramsa, which will be about 7km. Saramsa to Ranipool , the existing road, will have to be brought to highway standard. This portion is about 3km.The entire length of road from Rorathang to Ranipool via this tunnel will be about 24km, and not a tunnel of 24 kms as reported wrongly by all newspapers.
A major bridge over Rangnichu (Jalipool) has to be constructed. The present steel girder bridge is a single lane bridge perhaps of class-B loading. As many recall that this existing, single lane bridge became a severe bottleneck creating traffic jam upto Tadong, a distance of 5km during the International Flower Festival , a few years ago.
This route from Ranipool to Bhasmay via the tunnel will also serve as an alternative bye pass to NH31A in between Ranipool and Rangpo, the portion of which is most vulnerable to subsidence like at 9th mile, danger of rolling stores at 32 Mile, subsidence in between Martam and Jali Power House, landslides above Government Fruit Factory, numerous landslides between Singtam and Rangpo, the dangerous sharp hair pen bend at Namli left by British Raj.
This proposed road is very feasible. There are no major bridges except at Rongni Chu (Jalipool) and no major landslides or subsidence, sinkage-prone areas in this alignment, as far as my knowledge goes. It will be the shortest, safest, stable and economical in construction and will serve the economic needs of Sikkim and as well serve the strategic purpose. There cannot be a shorter and better route than this, unless we resort to a tunnel right from Coronation Bridge to Ranipool.
The entire cost of construction, including survey/ investigations, compensations, construction of a double lane road, bridges, road architecture etc should not cost more than Rs. 1000 crores.
The distance of existing road from Ranipool to Coronation Bridge is as under:
1. Coronation Bridge to Damdin-Gorubathan-Lava-Algarah-Pedarg-Rishi-Rhenock-Rorathang-Pakyong-Ranipool (existing road)- 170 km
2. NH31A – Coronation Bridge to Ranipool - 79 km
3. Proposed BRO road-Coronation Bridge to Chalsa Kumamore-Jaldakha (since opposed by West Bengal) Richila, Aritar, Rhenock-Rongli, Pakyong-Ranipool (since opposed by West Bengal) - 227 km
4. Now proposed-Coronation Bridge to Kafer(Sailung), Algarah, Rishi, Rorathang, Bhasmay, Tunnel, Saramsa, Ranipool 135 km
Further, it may not be out of place to mention here that a bridge over Teesta, in between Sevoke and Silliguri is a MUST, for economic as well as strategic point.
The Coronation Bridge constructed in 1936 during the British ray has almost lived its existence. In the event of any damage to this bridge, the entire traffic of North-Eastern States, North –Bengal and Bhutan, will be severely jeopardized. Additionally the strategic deployment will be in chaos. The Jalpaiguri Bridge which is also in a very bad state of disrepair cannot take this present traffic load.
To make the matter worse, the RCC bridge at Sevoke Bazar, is narrow and fragile and may give way anyday under such heavy traffic load, of entire N.E. States, North Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan, resulting in another unprecedented traffic chaos, unimaginable on this NH31 and NH31A.
I, therefore, as a very Senior Citizen, thought it my duty to reflect this issue for the interest of the country and people large, of this landlocked strategic boarder state surrounded three sides by International boundaries boarder China,Nepal and Bhutan.
JB Pradhan, A very Senior Citizen/ former MLA Sikkim
Your news dated 16th Nov, 2011 on alternative highway to Sikkim from Siliguri as proposed by me has not been correctly reported by the media. The proposed alignment does not touch Pakyong and Rhenock . Also, the tunnel below Sumen Hill is not 24km as reported.
It is only 7km. Hence, this may be considered as rejoinder to the news. My proposal is an improvement to the alignment proposed by the West Bengal Government vide Telegraph, Calcutta dated, 21st Sept 2011.
I have proposed an alignment from Bagrikote to Kafer (Sailung) to Algarah, entirely a new double lane Highway. From Algarah to Rishi, the existing road to be improved and brought to Highway standard. At Rishi, there is an existing permanent bridge (RCC). From Rishi (Sikkim) my proposal is to align a road direct to Rorathang. In between this portion a tunnel of 500m will shorten the distance by some kms. At Rorathang there is a permanent RCC bridge. From Rorathang my proposal is to follow the existing Rangpo road upto Bhasmay (about 7km from Rorathang). From Bhasmay, my proposal is to construct a tunnel of about 7km to come out in North face of Sumen Hill. From this tunnel end, a road has to be aligned to meet Pakyong-Saramsa-Ranipool road at Saramsa, which will be about 7km. Saramsa to Ranipool , the existing road, will have to be brought to highway standard. This portion is about 3km.The entire length of road from Rorathang to Ranipool via this tunnel will be about 24km, and not a tunnel of 24 kms as reported wrongly by all newspapers.
A major bridge over Rangnichu (Jalipool) has to be constructed. The present steel girder bridge is a single lane bridge perhaps of class-B loading. As many recall that this existing, single lane bridge became a severe bottleneck creating traffic jam upto Tadong, a distance of 5km during the International Flower Festival , a few years ago.
This route from Ranipool to Bhasmay via the tunnel will also serve as an alternative bye pass to NH31A in between Ranipool and Rangpo, the portion of which is most vulnerable to subsidence like at 9th mile, danger of rolling stores at 32 Mile, subsidence in between Martam and Jali Power House, landslides above Government Fruit Factory, numerous landslides between Singtam and Rangpo, the dangerous sharp hair pen bend at Namli left by British Raj.
This proposed road is very feasible. There are no major bridges except at Rongni Chu (Jalipool) and no major landslides or subsidence, sinkage-prone areas in this alignment, as far as my knowledge goes. It will be the shortest, safest, stable and economical in construction and will serve the economic needs of Sikkim and as well serve the strategic purpose. There cannot be a shorter and better route than this, unless we resort to a tunnel right from Coronation Bridge to Ranipool.
The entire cost of construction, including survey/ investigations, compensations, construction of a double lane road, bridges, road architecture etc should not cost more than Rs. 1000 crores.
The distance of existing road from Ranipool to Coronation Bridge is as under:
1. Coronation Bridge to Damdin-Gorubathan-Lava-Algarah-Pedarg-Rishi-Rhenock-Rorathang-Pakyong-Ranipool (existing road)- 170 km
2. NH31A – Coronation Bridge to Ranipool - 79 km
3. Proposed BRO road-Coronation Bridge to Chalsa Kumamore-Jaldakha (since opposed by West Bengal) Richila, Aritar, Rhenock-Rongli, Pakyong-Ranipool (since opposed by West Bengal) - 227 km
4. Now proposed-Coronation Bridge to Kafer(Sailung), Algarah, Rishi, Rorathang, Bhasmay, Tunnel, Saramsa, Ranipool 135 km
Further, it may not be out of place to mention here that a bridge over Teesta, in between Sevoke and Silliguri is a MUST, for economic as well as strategic point.
The Coronation Bridge constructed in 1936 during the British ray has almost lived its existence. In the event of any damage to this bridge, the entire traffic of North-Eastern States, North –Bengal and Bhutan, will be severely jeopardized. Additionally the strategic deployment will be in chaos. The Jalpaiguri Bridge which is also in a very bad state of disrepair cannot take this present traffic load.
To make the matter worse, the RCC bridge at Sevoke Bazar, is narrow and fragile and may give way anyday under such heavy traffic load, of entire N.E. States, North Bengal, Sikkim and Bhutan, resulting in another unprecedented traffic chaos, unimaginable on this NH31 and NH31A.
I, therefore, as a very Senior Citizen, thought it my duty to reflect this issue for the interest of the country and people large, of this landlocked strategic boarder state surrounded three sides by International boundaries boarder China,Nepal and Bhutan.
JB Pradhan, A very Senior Citizen/ former MLA Sikkim
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