Road to Lachen reopens after four-month closure

KUNAL RAI

GANGTOK,: The strategically important Chungthang-Lachen axis in North Sikkim reopened on Saturday after four months of disruption, bringing major relief to Lachen residents and restoring a crucial road link to one of Sikkim’s most important tourism destinations.

The reconstructed stretch near Taram Chu Bridge was formally inaugurated and opened to traffic by minister and area MLA Samdup Lepcha in the presence of Mangan district collector Anant Jain, Project Swastik chief engineer Brig. Amit Sakhre and GREF officials and local representatives. A brief ritual was also conducted at the site to mark the reopening.

The road link was damaged by a massive formation breach on April 5, cutting off the approach to a 400-foot Bailey suspension bridge and severing the crucial connection towards Lachen and forward areas of North Sikkim.

The route had earlier been restored on February 26 following damage caused by the October 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), but was disrupted again in April.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Samdup Lepcha expressed gratitude to the Border Roads Organisation and GREF personnel for their sustained efforts in restoring the critical road link. He said the reopening would provide much-needed relief to the people of Lachen, particularly local residents, transporters, hoteliers and tourism stakeholders who have faced prolonged difficulties because of repeated road disruptions.

Lepcha also thanked Lachen Dzomsa and the local community for their cooperation during the restoration process. He said the successful completion of the work without any loss of life was particularly commendable, given the difficult terrain and challenging conditions in which the personnel had worked.

The minister assured the gathering that the government would continue making every effort to maintain vital connectivity to Lachen despite the recurring challenges posed by natural calamities.

For residents, the reopening is significant not only for daily connectivity but also for the local economy. Lachen is the gateway to Gurudongmar Lake, one of Sikkim’s most prominent high-altitude tourist destinations, and prolonged road disruptions have severely affected tourism and local businesses.

Brigadier Amit Sakhre explained the technical challenges involved in restoring the road. He said the road had suffered a major formation failure on April 5, cutting off nearly 30 metres of the carriageway.

“We immediately started restoration work and for four months work continued continuously, despite the monsoon and other challenges,” Sakhre said.

He said the terrain consists largely of hard rock and required controlled blasting and specialised techniques, particularly because the damaged stretch was close to critical structures, including the bridge abutment and an anchor block.

During the final stages of restoration, engineers detected major cracks behind the road and beneath the bridge abutment, prompting additional slope-stabilisation work.

Sakhre said comprehensive slope stabilisation work would commence in October along the entire vulnerable stretch of around 80-100 metres.

The planned measures include additional rock-bolting, construction of retaining walls, installation of high-tensile ropes and rock-fall barriers, besides strengthening the abutment of the nearby Taram Chu Bridge.

Mangan DC Anant Jain said the damaged section involved extensive rock cutting and required detailed assessment before restoration could begin. He said controlled blasting was used because of the risk of damaging nearby structures, while additional rock bolting was undertaken after cracks were detected during the work.

Lachen Pipon Chobundu Lachenpa said repeated road closures since the 2023 disaster had severely affected the local economy, with transportation costs increasing substantially because of the longer alternative route.

He said the reopening would bring relief to residents and tourism-dependent businesses, but stressed the need for continued maintenance and measures to prevent frequent closures during the monsoon.

A hotelier from Lachen, Dhathup Lachenpa, welcomed the reopening, saying it had renewed hope among local residents after months of uncertainty. Referring to the recent disaster in Nepal, he said repeated calamities across the Himalayas were a reminder of the growing vulnerability of mountain communities.

The reopening of the Taram Chu stretch marks an important step towards restoring normalcy in Lachen. But with further slope stabilisation and protective works planned from October, the focus now shifts from simply reopening the road to making this critical Himalayan lifeline safer and more resilient.