Sikkim: Centre approves Rs 993.64 crore upgrade of NH-10 from Rangpo to Ranipool

The Centre has approved Rs 993.64 crore for upgrading the Rangpo-Ranipool stretch of National Highway-10 in Sikkim into a two-lane highway with paved shoulders, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said on October 7.

Gadkari said the project will include the construction of tunnels and viaducts, along with treatment of vulnerable stretches prone to landslides and sinking, to improve the safety and resilience of the highway.

The upgraded corridor is expected to provide safer and faster connectivity to Gangtok and other parts of Sikkim, with the project incorporating bridges, cut-and-cover sections and comprehensive slope-protection measures suited to the challenging Himalayan terrain.

The minister said the project would strengthen connectivity in the mountainous state and support the movement of people and essential goods.

It is also expected to benefit tourism, agriculture and horticulture, while strengthening strategic connectivity for the movement of defence personnel and supplies.

Gadkari said the project would contribute to Sikkim's overall socio-economic development by improving the reliability of a key road corridor.

The Rangpo-Ranipool section forms part of NH-10, a crucial road link connecting Sikkim with the rest of the country. The corridor's location in a geologically fragile and landslide-prone Himalayan region makes slope stabilisation and resilient road infrastructure particularly important.

The National Highways Authority of India is responsible for the development and management of the national highway network.