Earthquake-resistant houses in Sikkim under construction

EOI

Gangtok : The Government of Sikkim has initiated the Rs.391 crore Reconstruction of Earthquake Damaged Rural Houses (REDRH) for constructing resilient houses capable of withstanding natural disasters in Earthquake Prone Areas of the state. The construction of the houses is to minimize the loss of lives and property during future earthquakes in the region. Apart from breath taking scenic beauty, the North Eastern state is also within the high intensity earthquake zone. Sikkim is located in one of the most active seismic zone in the world. Geologically, it lies on four active zones where some of the country's most powerful shocks have occurred. The 18 September earthquake in 2011 struck Sikkim with a magnitude of 6.9, with the epicenter located near the India-Nepal border about 68 km north west of Gangtok. 

Three aftershocks of magnitude 5.7, 5.1 and 4.6 followed within 30 minutes. About 100 deaths were reported from India with more than 70 in the state of Sikkim. The Rs.391 crore REDRH project was launched in the year 2012 for seismically strengthening 7,972 houses which were badly damaged during the Sept, 2011 earthquake due to porous land in the region said Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling. This project is funded under the Prime Minister’s Special Relief Package from the Planning Commission, Government of India. This project is being implemented by the Rural Management and Development Department, Government of Sikkim on the philosophy of Build Back Better to construct low cost modern houses compatible with the local climate and terrain. So far 1,500 earthquake-resistant houses have been constructed under the project, while the remaining are in an advanced stage of construction and slated for completion next year.