Indian Railways announced today it will fast‑track the 34‑km Rangpo–Gangtok rail link, costing Rs 9,000 crore, to connect Sikkim’s capital by December 2027.
The new line will extend the existing Sivok–Rangpo project, which is 44.96 km long and already 75% complete, featuring 14 tunnels and 13 major bridges. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the delay in the Sivok stretch had been a stumbling block, but the government is now prioritising the Rangpo–Gangtok section.
The Rangpo–Gangtok stretch will shave roughly two hours off travel time to the rest of India and will include an underground halt at Teesta Bazar. An Integrated Multimodal Network Planning Group (NPG) report notes the line will feature 10 minor bridges and a 5.30‑km tunnel, the longest in the route.
Sikkim’s first direct rail link is expected to boost tourism and ease the supply of essential goods. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang told reporters that the project could lift local businesses and bring a steady flow of visitors to the capital.
A tender for the Rangpo–Gangtok section will be floated in June 2024, with construction slated to begin early 2025 and finish by 2027, the Railway Ministry confirmed.