Photo Courtesy: NFR
Dimapur, June 4 (MExN): A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways, chaired by Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Dr C M Ramesh, carried out a study visit to key sites of the Sivok–Rangpo Railway Line Project on June 4 as part of a broader tour covering Gangtok, Kolkata and Rishikesh from June 4 to 9.
According to a press release issued by Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), the committee comprises Members of Parliament from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and is undertaking the visit to review railway infrastructure development, connectivity enhancement and capacity augmentation initiatives, particularly in the Northeastern region.
During the visit, the committee inspected railway stations, tunnels and bridges along the Sivok–Rangpo Railway Line Project and reviewed the progress of the 44.96-km railway line that will provide the first rail connectivity to Sikkim.
Officials of IRCON informed the committee that the project has achieved 77% physical progress and is targeted for completion by December 2027. The delegation also visited the Rangpo Railway Station site and Tunnel No. 14.
The committee was accompanied by NFR General Manager Chetan Kumar Shrivastava, the Divisional Railway Manager of Alipurduar Division, and senior officials from NFR Headquarters, NFR Construction, IRCON and RITES Limited.
On June 5, the committee is scheduled to hold an informal discussion in Gangtok with the General Manager of NFR and the Chairman and Managing Director of IRCON International Limited on the theme “Expansion of Rail Network in Northeast and Union Territories,” with a special focus on the Sivok–Rangpo Railway Line Project.
The discussions are expected to examine efforts to strengthen rail connectivity, improve transportation infrastructure and support socio-economic development across the Northeastern region. The interaction will also provide an opportunity to deliberate on cross-border railway connectivity initiatives and engineering challenges associated with railway construction in the region.
