MoRTH sanctions Rs 1,000 cr to construct road in Siliguri

16 Mar 2022 CW Team

Nearly Rs 1,000 crore is allotted for constructing a four/six-lane road along National Highway (NH) 31 that linked the northwest and northeast ends of Siliguri, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told the media.

The stretch passing via Darjeeling More, the main entry point of the city, is currently a two-lane highway and is one of the congested stretches of the NH. Siliguri residents have been demanding for a long time that the stretch must be widened for smoother movement of traffic.

Gadkari informed that the ministry has sanctioned an amount of Rs 995.04 crore to build a four/six-lane road, including service roads from Shivmandir, where the Asian Highway II connects NH 31 and up to Sevoke army cantonment.

Overall, it is a 13km stretch that links the Balason river bridge — from where the Asian Highway–II takes a southward turn — with the Sevoke military station.

MP Raju Bista, Darjeeling BJP MP, said that the Centre was ready to develop this portion of NH-31 into a four-lane highway.

Soumen Nag, a social researcher, pointed out that the highway was strategically necessary for India because it moved along the Siliguri corridor, which is the thinnest part of the Indian sub-continent, and touched or was closer to several major defence establishments.

These comprise the headquarters of Trishakti Corps in Sukna, the Indian Air Force Station at Bagdogra, the Sevoke Military station and the army camp at Bengdubi near Bagdogra.

The Public Works Department (PWD) officials said that they had reserved the land beside the existing two-lane highway, which would be needed for the project.

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Also read: MoRTH lays foundation stone of NH projects worth Rs 3,972 cr

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