GANGTOK: Efforts for establishing rail connectivity to Sikkim has been fast tracked with the help of cutting-edge Austrian technology.
58% of the mining works for constructing as many as 14 main tunnels have been completed.
These tunnels are being built with the latest Austrian technology.
Moreover, 42% construction work on 13 major railway bridges on the 45 km Sivok-Rangpo new line project has also been completed.
It is believed that railway connectivity in the Himalayan state of Sikkim will give a big boost to the tourism sector of the state.
Tourism is the biggest revenue generating sector for Sikkim, which in turn will bring about holistic development in the state.
Out of the total length of 44.96 km, 38.65 km (86%) is in tunnels, 2.24 km (5%) in bridges and 4.79 km (9%) length in open cutting/filling of station yards.
The proposed line consists of 14 tunnels with the longest tunnel of 5.30 km and the smallest tunnel covers 538 metres.
The Sivok-Rangpo railway project was sanctioned for Sikkim and the foundation stone of this project was laid at Rangpo by the then Congress-led UPA government in October 2009.