NH blockade stalls airport inspection

Bappaditya Paul
SILIGURI, June 19: A team of the Union civil aviation ministry from New Delhi today failed to visit Sikkim to inspect the progress of the upcoming Gangtok airport due to the ongoing blockade of the National Highway 31A by the GJMM Agitating over a separate Gorkhaland state in Darjeeling, the GJMM has brought the Sikkim lifeline to a halt since 16 June evening through its blockade of the highway.
The three-member Union civil aviation ministry team, headed by the departmental secretary Mr Ashok Chawla, landed at the Bagdogra airport near Siliguri at 12:15 pm today. The other two members in the team included, the Airports Authority of India member operations Mr Praveen Seth and the executive director (engineering-central headquarters) Mr Raheja.
They were scheduled to visit Sikkim by road and take stock of the progress of the Sikkim's first airport project coming up at Pakyong, 31 kms off Gangtok. The team was also supposed to hold a meeting with the Sikkim chief secretary in Gangtok, before leaving the mountain state tomorrow.
“But due to the closure of the NH 31A, they dropped the Sikkim trip and left for Guwahati at 12:45 pm. From Guwahati, the team would go to Meghalaya to inspect the project work of the upcoming airport at the capital town Shillong,” informed Mr KK Bhowmick, airport director, Bagdogra. The civil aviation team's visit was related to the release of further Central funds.
The first civilian airport project of Sikkim, the foundation stone of which was laid by the former Vice President, late Mr Krishan Kant on 6 April 2002, is already lagging behind schedule. According to Mr Buddhi Rai, PRO, Sikkim government in Siliguri, the upcoming Gangtok airport with a proposed 1600 metre runway and a 106 X 76 metre apron would accommodate two 50-seater ATR aircrafts at a time. Sikkim has a helipad at Gangtok, wherefrom a government of India subsidised helicopter service to Bagdogra is run.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=10&theme=&usrsess=1&id=209095

They wanted to kill me??

AN ENVELOPE A PIECE OF PAPER LIST OF ADDRESSES INSIDE THE ENVELOPE I was part of a successful newspaper at Gangtok; the weekly newspaper “Weekend Review” was then considered the third party in Sikkim after the Sikkim Democratic Front led by Pawan Chamling and Congress led by N B. Bhandari, former Chief Minister of Sikkim. I had just completed my graduation when I got a chance to join the big-wig WR team. It took me a week to decide, and I was a news reporter. Even then, my primary concern was looking for Sikkim's old history. The new job was interesting, challenging, and more of an adventure. I never knew what I would do the next day or where I would be. I was only told to file a report to the newspaper office at Gangtok every Thursday. I was associated with the WR team for more than two years till our editor was replaced, and I found it uncomfortable to work with the new editor. His lack of journalism ethics made me leave WR. Within the fol...

JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT

This was a national song of Sikkim sung in the Nepali language during the monarchy system. During the merger with India, the song got banned and later re-released. Two words on the 8th para, which earlier said 'Rajah rah Rani,' were replaced with "Janmah bhumi." This song was dedicated to the King and Queen of Sikkim. The song lyrics were penned by Sanu Lama, and the music was composed by Dushyant Lama. The song was first sung on the birth anniversary of Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal on April 4, 1970, at Gangtok by Aruna Lama, Dawa Lama, and Manikamal Chettri. JANHA BAGCHA TEESTA RANGIT, JAHAN KANCHENDZONGA SEER YEHI HO HAMRO DHANA KO DESH, TAPAWAN HO PYARO SIKKIM INTERLUDE PHULCHAN YEHA AANGANAI MAA, CHAAP , GURAS, SUNAKHARI SWARGASARI SUNDAR DESH KO HAMRO PYARO PYARO JANMAHBHUMI JANHA BAGCHA…… BATASHLE BOKCHAA YAHA, TATHAGAT KO AAMAR WAANI ...

Old photographs of Gangtok

Photo source: Chultim Denzongpa

Proud to be a Sikkimese: Sikkim Travel, Culture & Local Heritage

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