To strengthen transport connectivity and fortify climate resilience in the Eastern Himalayas, the Union government has cleared a Rs 770.25-crore infrastructure investment for the upgradation of National Highway 717A. The strategic corridor, which spans critical terrain in Kalimpong, West Bengal and Rhenock in Sikkim, is poised to serve as a vital lifeline, particularly when National Highway 10, the existing arterial route, is disrupted by frequent landslides and monsoonal disruptions.
This new round of funding underscores New Delhi’s infrastructural thrust in the ecologically sensitive yet economically significant Eastern hill regions. The sanctioned project will widen and enhance a cumulative stretch of nearly 24 kilometres, including an 18.42-kilometre link from Lavamore to the beginning of the Pedong Bypass in Kalimpong and a 5.297-kilometre section between Reshi and Rhenock in Sikkim. In a region where steep gradients and fragile slopes routinely threaten mobility, the inclusion of advanced stabilisation measures marks a progressive shift in India’s approach to sustainable hill-road engineering. Techniques such as self-drilling anchors and gabion structures—typically deployed in geotechnically sensitive zones—will be adopted to mitigate the risks of landslides and soil erosion along the treacherous Bagrakot-Kafer section.
Government officials have touted the initiative as a green infrastructure push that meets both developmental and environmental goals. Unlike past highway development programmes that often compromised ecological balance, this project has been carefully aligned with sustainable practices, setting a new benchmark for infrastructure in mountainous regions. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has emphasised that this corridor is being designed not just to withstand climatic disruptions but to provide a continuous and reliable mode of transport for both civilian and commercial purposes.
Local political representatives, particularly from Darjeeling, have hailed the move as a response to long-standing demands for slope protection and safety considerations. The region’s Member of Parliament recalled lobbying for enhanced engineering safeguards during the Detailed Project Report phase, a request that appears to have informed the final project design. His recent inspection of the highway route, described as among India’s most scenic, has further fuelled public anticipation. Residents, traders, and tourism stakeholders alike are looking forward to safer, more dependable road access, which could unlock new opportunities in travel, commerce, and regional integration.
By enabling year-round mobility, the upgraded NH 717A corridor is expected to provide much-needed relief during peak monsoon periods when NH-10 becomes unviable. As the Eastern Himalayas continue to grapple with the dual challenge of ecological vulnerability and developmental backlog, such projects symbolise a calibrated step towards inclusive, climate-conscious progress. The road to Kalimpong and Rhenock is now not just a physical one—it’s a path to sustainable transformation, echoing India’s broader goals of equitable and resilient infrastructure for all.
Centre sanctions Rs 770 crore for Darjeeling hill highway upgrade
