BRO Reopens Lifeline to North Sikkim with Lachen Axis, 400-ft Taram Chu Bridge

Guwahati: In a bid to restore the crucial connectivity in North Sikkim, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has successfully reestablished the crucial Chungthang–Lachen axis and also inaugurated a 400-foot Bailey suspension bridge at Taram Chu.

This significant feat of the BRO would reconnect the remote communities that have been cut off from the rest of the state following repeated natural disasters.

Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth had stated that the connectivity reestablishment is a major milestone achieved by the BRO in terms of the region’s recovery efforts.

It may be noted that the Lachen axis is considered a lifeline and acts as the corridor for North Sikkim. It had earlier suffered tremendous damage after a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in October 2023, followed by Cyclone Remal in June 2024 and again the severe cloudbursts in May and June 2025. The natural calamities that struck the area repeatedly had triggered frequent landslides and structural failures, cutting off road links and disrupting essential supplies to the local people for months.

Reportedly, the BRO’s Project Swastik, carried out under the aegis of Brigadier Amit Sakhre, undertook the responsibility and carried out round-the-clock operations in treacherous terrain and against adverse weather conditions.

Engineers of the BRO cleared at least 96 landslides, built four major bridges, repaired two others, and carved out fresh diversions, including nearly eight kilometres of new road formation through unstable stretches.

Officials said the reopening of the 28-kilometre Chungthang–Lachen road and the construction of the 400-foot Taram Chu Bridge represent a crucial step in restoring normalcy. The renewed connectivity is expected to benefit residents, bolster security logistics, and revive economic activities in the strategically sensitive region.

Also Read: Meghalaya: No Fresh Meningococcal Cases Reported at Assam Regimental Centre in Shillong