Saturday, Aug 15, 2026 22:45 [IST]
Last Update: Friday, Aug 14, 2026 17:16 [IST]
SILIGURI,: A fresh tender has been
floated for the construction of an additional major bridge across the Teesta
River at Sevoke, marking a major development towards the long-pending
alternative to the historic Coronation Bridge.
According to a press release issued by Darjeeling MP
Raju Bista on Friday, the project will be executed under the Engineering,
Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode under National Highways (Original)
programme.
A significant change in the project is that the
proposed alternative to the Coronation Bridge has now been upgraded from a
four-lane to a six-lane highway.
The upgrade follows a recommendation made by the
Standing Committee on Finance, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
in March 2026. The committee had observed that, considering the strategic
importance of the project and anticipated future traffic growth, the highway
should be developed with a six-lane configuration.
Welcoming the development, MP Raju Bista said the
construction of an alternative to the historic Coronation Bridge had been a
long-standing demand of the people of the Darjeeling hills, Terai and Dooars.
Bista expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, West Bengal
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, and the National Highways Authority of India
(NHAI) leadership and team for prioritising road infrastructure development in
the region.
He also thanked the people of the region for their
patience, faith and continued support, stating that their trust motivates him
to work towards fulfilling their aspirations for improved infrastructure and
connectivity.
The tendering of the project is being seen as an important
step towards strengthening connectivity along the strategically significant
NH-10 corridor and providing a modern alternative to the historic Coronation
Bridge at Sevoke.
