Gangtok, Jan 20: A greenfield airport in Sikkim is likely to be ready next year, Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced on Tuesday.
“The greenfield airport at Pakyong is expected to be ready in 2017 at a revised cost of Rs 605.59 crore,” he told reporters here.
Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Sikkim, reviewed various projects of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and North Eastern Council (NEC).
Another unique project, the 45 km-long Sevoke-Rangpo railway line will be constructed at a cost of Rs 4,190 crore, he said.
The railway line will have 14 tunnels and 28 bridges. It will offer an exclusively picturesque and scenic journey while passing through the foothills of Kanchenjunga mountain range and Teesta river valley.
Referring to various projects supported by the DoNER Ministry, Singh said under the “Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources” (NLCPR), 183 projects have been completed in Sikkim at a cost of Rs 487.91 crore while additional 41 projects worth Rs 721.89 crore are undergoing.
Similarly, under North Eastern Council (NEC), 54 ongoing projects have been approved for Sikkim at a cost of Rs 321.33 crore for which Rs 218.54 crore has already been released.
The Minister said though Sikkim is a small state, it is very progressive and development-oriented which is evident from the fact that during the 11th Five Year Plan, it recorded an impressive growth rate of 22.8 per cent.
Earlier, Singh assured Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling that the Ministry of DoNER is committed to support major development projects in the state and will also coordinate with other Union Ministries to expedite the projects under their purview.
