Khagendramani Pradhan ,22 May, Sikkim:An ambitious project conceived to bridge the gap between India and Bharat, has been aimed to provide road facilities to the remotest of remote habitations and villages in the country. Since its inception in 2002, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana has been instrumental in improving connectivity between the rural habitats and their urban counterparts. A flagship programme of the Central Government, under this scheme Sikkim has taken the stride in supplementing the need of better connectivity to the villages.
Till its sixth phase, more than 199 kms of rural road is planned to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 8961.46044 lakh in the West District of Sikkim. Some of the remote and inaccessible villages now can boast of having all-weather road connectivity, which till recent years had been left in isolation.
Construction of several roads has been completed while some are still in progress. Construction of Rural connectivity road from Khandu to Bhalukhop, Rinchenpong Dak Bungalow to Hatti Dhunga, Gyalsing-Lingchom to Chongrong Primary School, Yoksom-Tashiding to Chongzong Primary School, Yoksum-Tashiding to Tamatam Primary health sub-centre, Gyalsing-Sakyong to Kabirthang has been completed during the second and third phases of the PMGSY. With this, connectivity road of over 42 kms has been completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 849.41 lakh.
Similarly, 6.72 kms stretch of road connecting Daramdin High School to Nalbo Gaon has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs. 219.70 lakhs, while the road connecting Upper Gelling School to Middle Gelling, and Naya Bazar Sombaria to Tharpu has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs. 589.13 lakhs.
Besides these, a number of road construction works are on which are targeted to augment better connectivity in the West District. The Road from Dentam-Uttarey to Bega Sheep farm, Dentam-Uttarey to Maneybong Nepal Border, Kaluk-Dentam to Tadong Jaubari, Linchom to Bongthen, Middle Sankhu to Lower Sankhu, Bermiok to Tadong Jaubari, Kaluk Bermiok to Upper Martam stretching over 38 kms is under progress. A road from Pemayangtse to Sangacholing, Rimbi-Darap-Mangsabong to Sangacholing, Mansabong to Timrong, Legship to Kabirthang, Yangthang to Kalej-Toyang School, Mangshabong to Topung, Tashiding-Gerathang to Chongrang-Lasso, Legship to Phamtam, Phamtham to Chongrang is under construction.
Rural connectivity linking Dentam to Kumuk Sepi, Kumuk-Sepi to Lower Bega, Kumuk Sepi to Bandukey-Barbotey, Gyaten to Farek, Uttarey to Chewabhanjyang, Reshi-Ratomatey to Meyong, Tadong Jaubari to Bermiok Gumpa, Barnyak ro Hee-Tamabong, Sombaria to Timburbong is also under construction under several phases and stages.
The pilot project under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana lays emphasis on providing rural approach road to any of the habitats having a sizeable population and has been of immense help to the people of far-flung areas of Sikkim. However, there are still some villages which remain cut off and need to be given a second thought. Even in its sixth phase of implementation, road connectivity is a distant dream for places like Sangkhola, Mesenthang, Upper Rimbick and Chongri to mention a few. These are places in great need of connectivity in view of their proximity to the Indo-Nepal Border.