Gangtok, Aug. 7: A two-lane concrete bridge has replaced the old suspension variety at Rangrang on the North Sikkim highway, 60km from here.

The height of the bridge — from the river to the carriageway — is 173 metres.

Tagged as the lifeline of North Sikkim because it connects the district to the rest of the state, it was inaugurated by the director general of Border Roads Organisation(BRO), Lt Gen. K.S. Rao, this morning.

The BRO has dedicated the bridge to the people of Sikkim.

The 123m-long bridge, which took 45 months and cost Rs 575 lakh, will meet the requirement of increased traffic. It will also serve the purpose of the army, which needs to transport men and material to camps along the border with China.