Labourers work on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg near 17th Mile. Picture by Prabin Khaling

Gangtok, April 22: The Border Roads Organisation has taken special measures to ensure smooth flow of traffic on North Sikkim Highway during the International Rhododendron Festival at Yumthang Valley that will start from April 25.

The organisation also said it was ready to face challenges that might come in the form of landslides along the 51km Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, which connects Gangtok to Nathu-la. Trade between Sikkim and the Tibetan Autonomous Region at the, 14,400ft-high border pass will open from May 3. The state expects a lot of visitors to the flower fest to go to Nathu-la as well.

Brigadier R.K. Patyal, chief engineer with Project Swastik that is looking after road infrastructure in the state since March 2008, said BRO officials and labourers along with bulldozers and earth excavators have been deployed at landslide-prone zones along North Sikkim Highway.

“We have deployed manpower and machinery at 15 troublesome spots along the highway up to Yumthang for the rhododendron festival,” said Brigadier Patyal today.

Swastik is presently in charge of double-laning North Sikkim Highway, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, and NH31A, the only road that connects Sikkim to the rest of the country.

Brigadier Patyal said work for widening the highway has been stopped for a month to allow smooth passage of vehicles going towards Yumthang Valley for the rhododendron festival that will end on May 15. “The slush and debris along the route has been cleared,” he said. The BRO has also resurfaced and black carpeted the 49km stretch between Chungthang and Yumthang especially for the festival. “We had recently strengthened an iron bridge over Bar Khola on the Singtam-Mangam route,” said Brigadier Patyal.

Work on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg will be done in four phases. The project of around Rs 495 crore started last year and is expected to be over by 2012.