Sikkim: Road breach near Tarum Chu disrupts Lachen route; tourists stranded, advised to stay indoors

Movement along the Lachen axis has been temporarily halted following a road breach near Sikkim's Tarum Chu Bridge, leaving several tourists stranded in Lachen amid adverse weather conditions.

The District Administration of Mangan issued a public advisory on Saturday, urging all stranded tourists to remain indoors and avoid travel due to safety concerns arising from damaged road conditions and inclement weather.

Officials stated that an evacuation operation is being planned for Sunday morning, subject to improvement in weather conditions and successful snow clearance along the Dongkya La route. The proposed evacuation route will pass from Lachen to Dongkya La, onward to Lachung, and then towards Gangtok.

Authorities informed that multiple agencies, including the Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Indian Army, are working in coordination to restore connectivity and ensure the safe evacuation of stranded individuals.

Snow clearance operations are currently underway on a priority basis as efforts continue to normalise the situation.