Sivok-Rangpo Rail Project Progress: New milestone as concrete lining of Tunnel 14 completed

Tunnel number T-14 of the Sivok- Rangpo Rail Project (SRRP) in Sikkim has reached a major milestone as its final concrete lining was completed on the 15th of May. This achievement comes after the tunnel’s breakthrough last year.

This 1977-meter-long tunnel is the gateway of the railway network to Sikkim. AIR correspondent reports that it is the first tunnel to achieve the completion of the final concrete lining out of 14 tunnels of the Project.

The Sivok to Rangpo New Rail Link Project spans approximately 45 kilometers connecting West Bengal and Sikkim. It features 14 tunnels, 22 bridges, and five stations. On completion of this project, the state of Sikkim will be connected via railways for the first time. Project Director Mohinder Singh said that the SRRP will be completed by December next year.

About 38 kms of the entire project alignment is passing through tunnels, and around 76 per cent of tunnelling work has already been completed. Rangpo Station, situated just after the Tunnel number T-14 is also under construction and on completion it will be a commercial and tourism hub for the State of Sikkim. Overcoming challenging geological conditions in the Lesser Himalaya region, the tunnel utilizes the New Austrian Tunnelling Method.