The Union ministry of road transport and highways has sanctioned ₹1,190.40 crore to build a second road bridge over the Teesta to connect Sevoke Bazaar with the Dooars.

The allocation of the funds was announced by Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari in reply to a question by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

“The minister has said the detailed project report on the construction of the additional bridge along NH17 over the Teesta is under finalisation for sanction. It has been decided that the project will be completed within 36 months of the commencement of the work. This is a major development for the region,” Bista said in a statement.

Sevoke Bazaar is around 20km from Siliguri.

The Bengal government consented to the construction of the bridge last month, almost four years after the Centre sanctioned the project.

The new bridge, which will connect Sevoke Bazaar (on the right bank of the Teesta) with Ellenbarie tea estate (on the left bank of the river) in the Dooars, will reduce the travel time between Siliguri and the Dooars.

“The new bridge will boost the connectivity between Kalimpong and Sikkim along NH717A, the alternative highway that is under construction to link the two hilly regions,” the MP said.

The bridge and the approach roads on either end will together have a total stretch of 6.85km. “The four-lane bridge will have a width of around 14 metres,” said a source.

The bridge is strategically important because of the region’s proximity to China.

As of now, people travelling to the Dooars from Siliguri take the Coronation Bridge, which is 83 years old, at Sevoke. Or else, they travel via the Teesta Barrage Project bridge at Gajoldoba downstream the Teesta or NH27, on the outskirts of Jalpaiguri, to reach the Dooars via Mainaguri and Dhupguri.