The railway ministry has sanctioned the final location survey (FLS) for a new railway line from Melli to Dentam in Sikkim.

Melli is in the south of the Himalayan state, and Dentam is in the west of Sikkim.

“The proposed railway route will pass via Jorethang and Legship. During the initial survey, it was estimated that the railway route would be 75km-long. The survey will be executed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and a sum of ₹2.25 crore will be spent on it,” K.K. Sharma, the chief public relations officer of the NFR, said.

Sources in the NFR said the FLS was an important exercise for any railway project. During the survey, the precise alignment of the route, location of structures and other critical features are determined. The survey helps engineers collect necessary data for drawing up detailed plans on track alignment, location of platforms, bridges and other infrastructure.

Further, the FLS helps in preparing cost estimates for the project.

“Melli is a key entry point to southern and western Sikkim. The approval of the ILS is a major step in expanding rail connectivity to these areas of Sikkim. Also, the proposed route will bridge a vital infrastructure gap and link remote towns like Dentam, which is near the India-Nepal border at Chiwabhanjyang, with the national railway network,” said a source in the NFR.

The project is also considered to be a strategic extension of the Sivok-Rangpo railway route that is under construction and is expected to be operational by 2027.

It is an ambitious project taken up in 2009 to include Sikkim, a state that shares borders with China, in the railway network.