National

Gangtok Junction

The whistle of the Beijing-Lhasa train sends shivers on the Sino-Indian border

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Gangtok Junction
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Chamling (left) talks to the chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Qiangba Puncog (centre) at the reopening of the Nathu La

Sikkim has fared a little better. An airport project at Pakyong, 30 km from Gangtok, was cleared by the Centre in 2002, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) was given the task of constructing and developing the airport at a cost of Rs 350 crore. "We acquired 200 acres of land, an MoU was signed with AAI. However, work is still to begin. We do not know the reason for the delay. We are victims of locational disadvantage," says Chamling.

With the Chinese border railway taking off, some action vis-a-vis roads has been initiated in Sikkim. The Border Roads Organisation has been instructed to start building a highway through the state. The Department of North-East Region at the Centre has sanctioned Rs 20 crore for a power project to bring electricity to the border areas. Chamling hopes these projects will not be grounded like countless others.

The advisor to the Sikkim government,JNU  professor Mahendra P. Lama, stresses the need for quick action. "We can no longer sit on projects. We have to move fast and get into action mode to translate proposals on paper into reality," he says.

According to him, developing the border states like Arunachal and Sikkim is not only in the interest of national security but also for commercial and economic interests. "Development will open our export market to the 300 million people in western China. Tourism too will also receive a boost," says Lama.

But Gangtok and Itanagar are clearly not a priority for New Delhi. Perhaps the loud Chinese voice across the border will lead to a rethink.

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