Roads & Bridges Department
INTRODUCTION
Sikkim is a landlocked State and comprises of young & fragile mountains, rivers, streams and water springs; thus, making it both diverse and vulnerable to natural catastrophe. The State is bereft of railways and waterways and recently, the decision of Spicejet to discontinue its flights from Pakyong Green field Airport until technical standards are met, makes roadways the only means of feasible transportation for the State.
Sikkim lies in the seismic Zone V and the re-occurring seismic movements and heavy rainfall trigger off landslides and movement of cap soil resulting in damage of roads and bridges thereby, breaching the normal lifeline.
The Roads & Bridges Department is the premier Department engaged in planning, designing, construction and maintenance of roads and bridges around the State. It has a reputation of leading and partnering with the major companies in design, engineering and construction and upgradation of more than thousand miles of public roads, crossing points and large numbers of impressive RCC bridges, steel bridges and suspension bridges around the State. Many of these projects include the design and construction of single-lane roads to complex design-build projects. The Roads & Bridges department’s vision is to create well developed network of roads, bridges and other transport infrastructure facilities for improved productivity and economic efficiency of transport that will act as catalyst to expedite the development of the State of Sikkim.
New up-to-date steel and concrete bridges have replaced all conventional structures thereby increasing the load carrying capacity on such bridges. The State’s bridge construction and design represents development, influencing vaulted architecture itself. Besides this, the department also has control of road reserves, Highway road regulation, implements Master Plan for road communication. The Roads & Bridges department treasures high level of professional ethics in all its endeavor, relentless strive for excellence by setting standards high and applying advanced technologies and quality control measures for timely completion of projects. The Roads & Bridges Department also practices sustainable development by taking care of the environment and people living around the project sites for long term good of mankind.
Most of the roads were constructed during the time of Chogyal (erstwhile king) of Sikkim. Since then, over the last three decades, the density of road in the State has increased by over 100% thus, connecting every nook and corner of the State. This in itself is a remarkable feat of development. Even the remotest area of the State is well connected to the district head-quarters.