The Central government has approved ₹1,175 crore for the construction of a six-lane bridge across the River Teesta in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, aiming to enhance regional transit links.
The infrastructure project, managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), involves constructing an alternative major bridge along with its approaches on National Highway 10 (formerly designated as NH-31). Prior to this sanction, officials stated that the government had allocated ₹844 crore for a bridge project at the location and floated a tender, which was subsequently cancelled.
The new bridge will be situated near Sevoke, approximately two kilometres downhill from the existing Coronation Bridge, locally known as Bagh Pool. At present, only a railway bridge spans the Teesta near the newly sanctioned site. Once completed, the alternative bridge is expected to reduce the road travel distance between Sevoke in Darjeeling district and Ellenbari in Jalpaiguri district by roughly 10 kilometres.
Vehicles travelling between Siliguri and Sikkim via National Highway 717A, as well as traffic moving between Siliguri and the North-Eastern states via National Highway 10, currently rely on the Coronation Bridge. Officials noted that the current stretch via the Coronation Bridge is long, prone to landslides and accidents, and frequently experiences heavy traffic congestion. The proposed structure is intended to strengthen connectivity between Sikkim, the North-Eastern region, and the Siliguri Corridor, easing the movement of freight and passengers while supporting regional trade, logistics, and tourism.
“The construction of the alternative bridge will go a long way to improve connectivity in the region and thus will help in the socio-economic development of the region,” said Raju Bista, the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Darjeeling.
The existing Coronation Bridge was constructed in 1941 to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, linking the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. An alternative structure in the Dooars region—an area marked by extensive tea gardens, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries populated by elephants and rhinos—has been a long-standing demand.
Efforts to build a second bridge at Sevoke date back to the early 1990s when the West Bengal Public Works Department carried out initial soil tests before the proposal was shelved. The issue was later raised in Parliament in December 2009 by then CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak.
Sources
– Hindustan Times – India News: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/centre-sanctions-rs-1-175-crore-for-six-lane-teesta-bridge-to-boost-connectivity-101790865030754.html
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
