The Centre approved ₹1,175.59 crore for a 6.91-km-long six-lane major bridge across the Teesta River at Sevoke on NH-10 in Darjeeling district, West Bengal, on 30 September 2026. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the approval on 1 October 2026.
Teesta River and Sevoke Location
The Teesta River is a transboundary river system in the eastern Himalayas and flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh. Sevoke is a location in Darjeeling district near the foothills of the Himalayas, and NH-10 is a national highway link associated with the route to Sikkim.
Coronation Bridge and Route Connectivity
The new bridge will function as an alternative to the Coronation Bridge, which was commissioned in 1941 and currently carries traffic on this corridor. The project includes the bridge and its approaches, and the total length is about 6.91 kilometres.
Strategic and Transport Context
The bridge is intended to improve connectivity between Sikkim, the North-Eastern states, and the Siliguri Corridor. The Siliguri Corridor is a narrow land link in northern West Bengal that connects mainland India with the North-Eastern region.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Teesta River is one of the important rivers of the eastern Himalayas and is linked with both Sikkim and West Bengal.
- The Coronation Bridge was commissioned in 1941 and is a key road bridge on the route to Sikkim.
- The Siliguri Corridor is also called the Chicken’s Neck in Indian geography.
- NH-10 is an important highway route for movement of passengers and freight towards Sikkim.
Infrastructure and Regional Development
The project follows the severe Teesta floods of 2023, which damaged roads and bridges in the region. The bridge is expected to support trade, commerce, tourism, logistics, and road movement in north Bengal and the North-East.
