Gangtok, Sikkim | September 16:
Mission Clean Sky, a flagship urban beautification drive launched by the District Administrative Centre (DAC) Gangtok, is transforming the city’s skyline by removing messy overhead wires and restoring its natural charm. Nestled amidst the misty mountains of the Eastern Himalayas, Gangtok has long been known for its postcard-perfect landscapes, vibrant culture, and lively streets that attract travellers from across the globe. But in recent years, an unsightly maze of tangled internet and telecom cables had begun to overshadow the city’s beauty, posing safety hazards and disrupting the scenic cityscape. Determined to change this, the administration kickstarted this mission from the iconic MG Marg — and now, Mission Clean Sky is evolving into a city-wide movement to reclaim Gangtok’s skies, improve safety, and boost tourism appeal.
What started as a modest clean-up has now grown into a full-fledged campaign — one that promises to transform Gangtok’s urban face, improve public safety, and enhance its appeal as a world-class tourist destination.
Decluttering the Skies: Restoring Order to Gangtok’s Streets
For decades, overhead wires have run across Gangtok’s bustling lanes, often sagging low and forming tangled clusters that pose risks to pedestrians and spoil the city’s beauty. Under Mission Clean Sky, the district administration has been carrying out systematic inspections of major routes such as Tibet Road, Namnang Road, Lal Bazaar, Tharo Line, and MG Marg, with a strong multi-departmental team.
Officials from Smart City, GMC, Power, PHE, UDHD, DDMA, and various Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have been working together to:
- Remove unused poles and abandoned cables
- Clear hazardous low-hanging wires from public spaces
- Ban loose wire coils on electric poles
- Establish 12 designated cable crossover points for organized layouts
- Mandate proper cable boxes to prevent clutter and ensure safety
The aim is simple yet transformative — make the city’s skyline as clean and organized as its streets below.
Legal Framework and Future Plans: Building for the Long Term
To make this mission sustainable and future-ready, DC Gangtok, Mr. Tushar Nilhare, chaired a high-level meeting with regional heads of ISPs on September 16.
During the meeting, the District Administration:
- Highlighted the legal framework empowering Mission Clean Sky and clarified the ISPs’ legal responsibilities
- Released a Right of Way (RoW) map jointly prepared with ISPs, GMC, UDD, and other line departments
- Presented various financial models to ensure the mission’s long-term execution
- Directed ISPs to submit written reports on technical challenges, which will be reviewed by domain experts
Mr. Nilhare made it clear that while the skies must get cleaner, “public convenience and uninterrupted internet service cannot be compromised.” This ensures the project strikes a balance between urban aesthetics and digital infrastructure.
Why Mission Clean Sky Matters
Mission Clean Sky is not just about beautification — it is about safety, efficiency, and pride in the city.
For local residents:
- Safer streets with elimination of dangling wires that pose fire and electrocution risks
- More reliable internet connectivity through reorganised and protected cables
- An overall cleaner and more organised urban environment that improves quality of life
For tourism:
- Enhanced visual appeal of Gangtok’s iconic hubs like MG Marg and Tibet Road
- Stronger branding of Sikkim as a clean and eco-conscious state, aligning with its organic identity
- A more photogenic and pleasant cityscape that boosts visitor experience and tourism revenue
In short, Mission Clean Sky promises to make Gangtok not only a safer city to live in but also a more beautiful place to visit.
The administration has announced that inspections will become routine and strict until the entire city is free from unsightly cable clutter. ISPs who fail to comply risk disconnection of their networks. What began as a clean-up effort has grown into a bold urban transformation movement — a blueprint for how hill cities across India can balance modern connectivity with traditional charm. Mission Clean Sky is set to redefine Gangtok’s skyline — and possibly inspire similar makeovers in cities nationwide.