The Centre has approved Rs 1,175.59 crore for a proposed six-lane bridge over the Teesta at Sevoke in Darjeeling district, a project expected to strengthen one of the main road links between North Bengal, Sikkim, the Northeast and the Siliguri corridor.
The proposed bridge on National Highway 10 will be approximately 6.91 kilometres long, according to a report by Bartaman Patrika. The project is expected to improve the movement of passengers and freight through the Sevoke area, which serves as a key connection between the plains and the hill regions leading towards Sikkim.
The Centre said the new bridge and associated road infrastructure would reduce travel time and ease congestion on the route. It also said the project would improve the efficiency of transporting goods and services, with potential benefits for local residents, businesses and tourism-dependent services in the region.
NH10 and the Teesta valley are important parts of the transport network connecting North Bengal with Sikkim. The corridor carries passenger traffic, commercial vehicles, supplies and tourism-related movement. Any disruption on the route can therefore affect access to the hill state and the wider regional supply chain.
The proposed project also comes against the background of the severe Teesta floods in 2023, which damaged roads and bridges across the region. The report said the Centre expects the planned bridge and related road works to strengthen connectivity in an area where transport infrastructure has faced major disruptions from extreme weather and difficult terrain.
Improved road capacity could support faster movement between the Siliguri corridor, Sikkim and the Northeast. The Centre has linked the project with possible gains for tourism, trade, logistics services and the wider regional economy, while easier passenger and freight movement may also benefit communities located along the route.
The approval establishes the project’s reported cost, location and broad connectivity objectives. Further details on construction phasing, tendering, execution timelines, traffic management during construction and the bridge’s engineering specifications were not provided in the source report. The next stages will depend on the authorities’ implementation and procurement process.
