Sikkim Tunnel Committee Demands Urgent Safety Fixes at Reshi Road

Gangtok: A state monitoring committee inspected the Reshi Road tunnel to review structural integrity and safety protocols. Relief Commissioner Mingma T Sherpa led the team through the facility. They found significant gaps in drainage, pedestrian protection, and overall maintenance. These failures put students, local residents, and daily commuters at risk.

Sherpa pressed the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation for answers. He demanded full compliance with safety standards and ordered the submission of all technical records. The state plans to form a sub-committee to keep the tunnel under constant watch. Soreng Deputy Commissioner Dhiraj Subedi backed the call for action. He specifically flagged the need for a functioning drainage system and a dedicated pedestrian walkway.

NHPC DGM RM Sahoo presented the status of the Diversion Road Tunnel along SH-22 and NH510. He detailed the required rehabilitation treatments, necessary equipment, and repair costs. The committee told NHPC's Rangit Stage IV Hydroelectric Project to finish all work on time. As Sherpa noted, he "stressed strict compliance with prescribed safety standards" during the site visit.

Representatives from the Mines and Geology Department, the Geological Survey of India, and the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority joined the inspection. They evaluated the existing rehabilitation requirements to ensure the tunnel remains viable for public use.