SNS, SILIGURI, JUNE 28 , 2025 : In a significant move aimed at strengthening connectivity in the Eastern Himalayas, the Government of India has officially designated the 23-kilometre stretch from Melli to Singtam in Sikkim as National Highway 210 (NH-210). The decision, formalised through a gazette notification by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is being hailed as a critical step forward for infrastructure development in the strategic border state.
The newly declared NH-210 originates at the Teesta Bridge junction in Melli—where it intersects with NH-710—and passes through Mamring and Samardong before joining NH-510 near Singtam. Entirely within Sikkim’s territorial limits, the route runs parallel to NH-10 (the Gangtok-Siliguri corridor), but on the opposite side of the Teesta River.
The highway will be developed and maintained by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), ensuring central-level expertise and funding. This development is being widely credited to the sustained efforts of Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay), who has made improved connectivity a cornerstone of his administration’s agenda.
Yougan Tamang, Press Secretary to the Chief Minister of Sikkim, said: “The Chief Minister’s repeated engagements with the Centre—highlighting the region’s fragile geography, frequent landslides, and logistical isolation—have yielded results, including the earlier transfer of the 52.10-km Sevoke-Rangpo section of NH-10 from the West Bengal PWD to NHIDCL. With this, the entire 84.10 km stretch from Sevoke to Gangtok is now under central management.”
N.B. Dahal, Sikkim’s Minister for Roads and Bridges, has also been recognised for his hands-on approach and coordination with central agencies to ensure that administrative proposals translated into real-world progress.
The government and people of Sikkim have expressed deep appreciation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for their proactive support in realising the long-standing demand.
According to Yougan Tamang, acknowledgement for this breakthrough also goes to Indra Hang Subba, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Sikkim, whose consistent parliamentary interventions and policy advocacy helped push the issue to national priority.
NH-10, the main lifeline connecting Sikkim to the rest of India, has faced recurrent disruptions due to natural disasters—most notably the 2023 Teesta River floods—which underscored the need for alternate and resilient infrastructure. The elevation of the Melli-Singtam corridor to national highway status is expected to provide a strategic parallel route, critical not just for civilian traffic and trade, but also for national security, given Sikkim’s proximity to international borders with China, Nepal, and Bhutan.
With NH-210 now officially notified and NH-10 under comprehensive central oversight, Sikkim’s fragile connectivity network is poised for significant strengthening—paving the way for faster mobility, safer trade routes, and more robust disaster resilience in India’s northeastern frontier.
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