Gangtok, April 27: Narendra Modi began a two-day visit to Sikkim on April 27, blending ceremonial engagements with a development agenda exceeding ₹4,000 crore, officials said.
Arriving in Gangtok, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in a roadshow and interact with local stakeholders, setting the stage for a visit focused on infrastructure expansion and public outreach.
Key engagements are slated for April 28, beginning with a visit to the Swarnajayanti Maitri Manjari Park, also known as the Orchidarium, a facility developed to showcase the state’s biodiversity and promote eco-tourism.
He will later address a public gathering at Paljor Stadium during the closing ceremony of Sikkim’s 50th year of statehood celebrations, where multiple projects across sectors such as transport, healthcare, education, tourism and power are expected to be unveiled.
Healthcare initiatives include the foundation stone laying for a 100-bed Ayurveda hospital in Yangang and the inauguration of a 30-bed integrated Sowa Rigpa hospital at NIT Deorali, aimed at expanding access to traditional systems of medicine.
In the education sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the permanent campus of Sikkim University at Yangang. Additional infrastructure projects are planned for Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University of Excellence, Helen Lepcha Medical College and Dentam Professional College to strengthen higher education and professional training.
Connectivity improvements form a major component of the visit, with foundation stones to be laid for two double-lane steel arch bridges over the Teesta River, expected to enhance transport links and strategic mobility in border areas.
Tourism and pilgrimage infrastructure will also receive attention, including redevelopment of Gangtok’s Ridge area and the construction of acclimatisation centres along the Kailash Mansarovar route via Nathula Pass, aimed at supporting pilgrims and boosting tourism.
Other initiatives span administrative infrastructure, power upgrades, environmental measures and agriculture projects, with authorities expecting these investments to generate employment and improve service delivery.
Sikkim, which became India’s 22nd state in 1975, is marking 50 years of statehood this year. Officials said the visit reflects the Centre’s continued focus on the Northeast, particularly on connectivity, healthcare access and tourism-led growth, with security tightened across Gangtok ahead of the Prime Minister’s engagements.
