Around 1,000 tourists, who had been stranded at Lachen, a popular destination in north Sikkim, since Sunday because of a major road collapse, were successfully evacuated on Wednesday.
The crisis began when a crucial stretch of road connecting Chungthang and Lachen was washed away on Sunday, leaving several visitors stuck in the remote mountainous region.
Sources in the Mangan district administration said the evacuation was carried out through an alternative high-altitude route via Dongkya La, Shiv Mandir, Zero Point, Yumthang, and Lachung.
“The stranded tourists are being safely transported in batches to ensure smooth movement through the challenging terrain,” said an official.
The large-scale rescue operation was the result of a coordination involving the Indian Army, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the district administration, the district disaster management authority, and the state tourism and civil aviation department, along with the local Lachen dzumsa (the traditional local self-government body).
Senior officials, including Mangan collector Anant Jain and superintendent of police L.B. Chettri, were present to oversee the evacuation.
On February 26, the road connectivity between Chungthang and Lachen was restored after a gap of two-and-a-half years. In October 2023, the road and bridges were damaged in the glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF).
From March, tourists were allowed to visit Lachen and the Gurudongmar Lake.
As a part of the restoration of the road connectivity, a Bailey suspension bridge was installed over the turbulent Taram Chu river. However, on Sunday, a stretch of the approach road to the bridge was washed away.
To facilitate the evacuation, a temporary bamboo footbridge was built on Tuesday evening at the damaged stretch. This arrangement proved crucial amid adverse weather conditions and snowfall, which had further hampered movement across the high-altitude pass located at approximately 18,000 feet above sea level.
On Wednesday, Samdup Lepcha, the local MLA and the Sikkim social welfare minister, visited the affected Taram Chu area to assess the situation. He praised the resilience and community spirit of the residents of Lachen, who actively assisted in relief efforts.
Stakeholders of the tourism industry welcomed the rescue operation.
“Most of the stranded tourists have been evacuated from Lachen. We are in touch with the authorities concerned to ensure that the tourists head for their onward destinations,” said Samrat Sanyal, the general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.