Gangtok, June 7: While the state capital still awaits a decision on the proposal to link it with the golden quadrilateral project, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has shown willingness to give National Highway 31 A a facelift.

Speaking to The Telegraph, top state government officials confirmed that the ADB had promised funds for improving and widening NH 31 A from Siliguri to Gangtok. Officials also said ADB was finalising the government?s proposal and a survey team was to reach Sikkim next month to make a detailed study.

While it is not known how much ADB, which is headquartered in Manila, is willing to invest, it has been learnt that the detailed project report prepared by the state government to improve the road connectivity and network was being considered by the bank and is in the final stages of appraisal.

Sikkim is expected to benefit largely from the project since the existing highway has not undergone repairs for many years. The repairs are necessary, as road link is an important factor for the industrial viability of the state. Officials also pointed out that while the government?s demand for an alternative route might take some time to materialise, the road connectivity within the state had to improve.

This decision has attained greater importance in the wake of the deadline to reopen Nathula this September. Officials admit that lack of a proper road network has been one of the chief reasons for the slow growth in industrialisation since investors were not willing to come to the state given the poor condition of the existing highway.

Apart from improving the surface, the roads are to be widened into a two-or-three lane highways so that heavy transport and carrier vehicles can also ply into the state. The ADB has already made a few changes in the detailed project report submitted to them by the state government.

The government has already conducted preliminary enquiries. The new highway will have smoother traffic and is expected to reduce the travel time between Siliguri and Gangtok to a large extent.

While ADB will supervise and fund the project, the union ministry for surface transport will decide whether the execution of the project will be undertaken by the National Highway Authority or the Border Roads Organisation. ADB has already listed Gangtok in its earlier project aimed at improving urban development in select cities. The bank had set aside Rs 900 crore for the project to cover five cities all over the country.