The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), in collaboration with IRCON International Limited, has achieved the breakthrough of Tunnel No. 8 in the Sivok-Rangpo Railway Project, marking another key milestone in the effort to bring rail connectivity to Sikkim.
The tunnel, measuring 4.148 Km, was excavated under extremely challenging geological conditions in the Himalayan terrain.
The successful breakthrough is expected to accelerate progress on the strategically important rail corridor that will connect Sikkim to the national railway network.
The completion of Tunnel No. 8 means that excavation has now been completed in 13 out of the 14 tunnels planned along the alignment, bringing the project significantly closer to operational readiness.
The Sivok-Rangpo Railway Project is a 44.96 Km new broad-gauge line linking Sivok in West Bengal to Rangpo in Sikkim and is being executed by the Northeast Frontier Railway with construction support from IRCON International.
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The rail line is expected to be fully completed by December 2027.
Once completed, the line will become the first railway connection to Sikkim, the Indian Himalayan state that currently does not have direct rail access.
The project is considered one of the most important railway infrastructure initiatives in the Northeast due to its economic and strategic significance.
Engineering the railway line through the fragile Himalayan terrain has required extensive tunnelling.
Around 38.6 Km, nearly 86 per cent of the route, runs through tunnels, while the project also includes 13 major bridges and 10 minor bridges across valleys and river systems.
Notably, the first underground Railway Station within the Indian Railways network i.e. Teesta Bazar Station comes under this tunnel, marking a pioneering step in the advancement of Railway infrastructure in the country, according to the NFR.
The railway corridor will have five stations – Sivok, Riyang, Teesta Bazar, Melli and Rangpo – including an underground station at Teesta Bazar, making it one of the more technically complex railway lines being built in the region.
The project was sanctioned in 2008 and construction activities began after the foundation stone was laid in October 2009. Major construction works were later entrusted to IRCON International.
Once operational, the railway line is expected to significantly improve passenger and freight movement to Sikkim, support tourism and regional trade, and strengthen connectivity across the Northeast.
The project is also seen as strategically important due to Sikkim’s proximity to the India-China border.
