Govt fixes Sikkim on railway radar

In view of the strategic location of Sikkim, the Himalayan state, which shares borders with China, Union government is all set to connect the state with the railway with the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) agreed to furnish the NOC for the land to be used for laying rail tracks. Incidentally, Nathula, the border with China, is a mere 56 km away from Gangtok and China has a railway line connecting Lhasa with Xigase. Yadong, a border town on the Tibetan Autonomous Region side, is a three and a half hour drive from Gangtok and an 8 hour drive from Lhasa. The tri-junction point Doklam (India-Bhutan-China) near Nathula had been witnessing standoff between India and China. The project has been lying in limbo due to complex administrative issues, including land and environmental clearances. While all the clearances have been given, only the land usage NOC from GTA was pending, which was also resolved recently, stated Chairman, Board of Administrators, GTA, Binay Tamang.