Chungthang rebuilds as Teesta Stage III Dam reconstruction and road connectivity bring hope

LALIT DAHAL

CHUNGTHANG,: Nearly two years after the devastating Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) of October 2023 that struck North Sikkim, the town of Chungthang is slowly moving toward recovery. Roads that were once washed away are being rebuilt, damaged infrastructure is gradually returning, and residents who lost homes and livelihoods are trying to rebuild their lives step by step.

The flood, triggered by the breach of South Lhonak Lake, destroyed the Teesta Stage-III hydropower dam and caused extensive damage across Chungthang and downstream areas. Government buildings, houses and major road links were affected, leaving the region disconnected and severely disrupting daily life.

According to Arun Chettri, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Chungthang, reconstruction of the Teesta Stage-III hydropower project is currently underway with stronger engineering safeguards.

Chettri said the new structure is being rebuilt on the same footprint where the earlier dam stood, but with a modified design intended to enhance structural strength and safety.

“The earlier dam was a rock-fill dam. The reconstructed structure will be a concrete dam, which is considered structurally stronger,” he said.

The reconstructed dam is expected to have a total height of about 108 metres, with approximately 60 metres above the riverbed while the remaining portion will extend below the riverbed.

He added that the new structure is being designed with a significantly higher flood-handling capacity.

“The earlier dam was designed to handle around 7,000 cubic metres per second of flood discharge. The reconstructed dam is expected to withstand floods of up to 20,000 cubic metres per second,” Chettri said, citing information provided by technical teams involved in the project.

The project reconstruction is being carried out with major engineering involvement from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) along with the project developer Greenko.

While the rebuilding of the dam represents a major infrastructure effort, the impact of the disaster is still deeply felt in the community.

Diki Lepcha, panchayat president of the 15-Chungthang ward under Chungthang GPU, said the flood had devastated large parts of the town, washing away several government buildings and homes.

Among the affected structures were the police station, police quarters and power department facilities, along with numerous residential houses.

According to her, Chungthang is currently in a phase of recovery but several public structures still need to be rebuilt.

She said residents are hoping that reconstruction of government offices and residential quarters for government employees will be completed soon. Families who lost homes are also expecting assistance through government housing schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Lepcha also recalled that when the Teesta Stage-III project was first initiated around 2009, local residents had been informed that the rock-fill dam design was considered safe for the region.

Following the destruction caused by the flood, residents now expect the new dam to be built with stronger safety standards and improved operational mechanisms.

She also emphasised the importance of disaster awareness and preparedness programmes in vulnerable mountain regions.

Meanwhile, residents say that road connectivity remains crucial for the town’s recovery.

The disaster had severely damaged road networks across North Sikkim, forcing residents to travel long diversion routes through Dzongu to reach Chungthang and nearby areas.

These diversions increased travel time and transportation costs, making essential commodities more expensive and creating additional hardship for residents.

Lhendup Lepcha, a resident of Chungthang, said the disaster has left a deep emotional impact on the community. “What happened during the flood is something the people of Chungthang will never forget,” he said.

He emphasised that stable road connectivity between Tong-Naga and Chungthang is particularly important for residents and traders in the area.

“If the road between Tong-Naga and Chungthang remains stable, it will greatly help the people here to recover and continue their livelihoods,” he said.

He added that when the roads were damaged and travel had to be diverted through Dzongu, transportation costs rose sharply and goods became more expensive.

According to him, although the recovery process was slow during the initial months after the disaster, the situation has gradually improved as government departments and agencies began restoring roads and infrastructure.

He acknowledged that the government provided logistical support and relief materials during the immediate aftermath of the disaster and that reconstruction work has slowly begun to bring the town back to life.

However, he also stressed the need for authorities to closely monitor the ongoing dam reconstruction to ensure the safety of residents living near the river.

Residents say that although signs of recovery are visible, rebuilding Chungthang will take time. Many families are still reconstructing homes, businesses are gradually reopening, and tourism activity in nearby areas such as Lachen and Lachung is slowly returning.

Local leaders believe that full recovery of the town may take four to five years, but the people of Chungthang remain determined to rebuild their lives.

Despite the destruction left behind by the flood, the town is slowly finding its rhythm again - one repaired road, one rebuilt house and one reopened shop at a time.