Sikkim’s rail link project faces hurdles
SILIGURI: THE RAIL LINK IS VITAL FOR THE LANDLOCKED HILL STATE, WHICH SHARES ITS BORDER WITH CHINA, NEPAL AND BHUTAN
The project to bring Sikkim into the railway map of India is stuck due to a slew of demands raised by Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) to give the mandatory no objection certificate for tracks to pass through forest land.
The rail link is vital for the landlocked hill state, which shares its border with three neighbouring countries — China, Nepal and Bhutan. Incidentally, China is rapidly expanding its railway connectivity to the border. “The rail line will serve defence needs apart from that of civilian transportation,” said Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling.
The strategic state also does not have any functional airport.
The proposed broad gauge line between Sevoke in West Bengal to Rangpo in Sikkim are to cover a distance of 44.98km, of which 41.54km falls in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal administered by the GTA, while only 3.44km is in Sikkim.
Then railway minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone of the ₹1,339.48 crore project in 2009. It was to be completed by 2015.
The project requires 86.61 of land inside Mahananda Wild Life Sanctuary in Darjeeling district and other forest areas in GTA territory.
In February 2016, the Supreme Court allowed changing the sta- tus of 8.84 hectares of forest land within the wildlife sanctuary. It also asked the Bengal government to denotify the area within two months.
“Though the forest department agreed on principle to give its nod, the status of the land could not be changed in the absence of no- objection certificate from the GTA,” said Tshering Thendup Bhutia, the additional general manager of Indian Railway Constuction Comapan (IRCON), the implementing agency. The semi autonomous body that runs the affairs in the north Bengal hills has set preconditions for issuing the NOC.
Among others, it wants first land pattas (rights) be given by the West Bengal government to more than 5,000 villagers in 165 forest villages as per Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006.
It’s other demands include GTA should be allowed to monitor the tendering process of the project; permanent jobs for locals in railways and development works in the affected areas.
The Himalayan Forest Villagers Organisation (HFVO), an influential body, fighting for the implementation of Forest Rights Act 2006, is demanding conversion of the land in 165 forest villages within the GTA area into revenue villages and land rights bestowed on forest village dwellers, before they agree to GTA issuing the NOC.
“We will oppose tooth and nail if the GTA makes any move to issue the NOC unless the Forest Rights Act is implemented in the Darjeeling hills. The Act is already implemented in neighbouring districts of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar,” said Lila Kumar Gurung, general secretary of HVFO.