Lachen residents of North Sikkim warn of intensified protest over delayed road restoration

Residents of Lachen in North Sikkim have warned of stronger protests if road connectivity to the region is not restored by July 15, 2026, amid growing frustration over prolonged infrastructure disruptions in the strategically important border region.

The warning was issued during a public meeting attended by Minister and Lachen-Mangan MLA Samdup Lepcha, who addressed concerns raised by residents regarding the continued disruption of road access to the remote Himalayan region.

During the meeting, Lepcha assured residents that the state government was taking the issue seriously and would raise the matter directly with the Chief Minister. He said the government was making all possible efforts to restore connectivity at the earliest.

According to the minister, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), following discussions with the state government, had assured that road connectivity to Lachen would be restored by July 15.

“The government is making every effort to restore road connectivity,” Lepcha said while appealing to residents to remain patient until the deadline.

At the same time, Lepcha highlighted that the Vibrant Village initiative has brought renewed focus and development opportunities to remote border areas of North Sikkim despite the severe connectivity challenges.

“We wanted to discuss how this problem can be solved. Just listening to one side does not mean everyone’s concerns are addressed. But when leaders come and listen to us, we feel some relief,” he said.

The minister stated that the Vibrant Village areas of North Sikkim are geographically and strategically sensitive and therefore require long-term infrastructure planning and sustained support.

“We have also heard that the Prime Minister and President may visit, and geographically this land is sensitive. If proper planning had been done earlier, this situation may not have happened,” Lepcha said.

Residents, however, expressed anger over the continued delays, stating that the people of Lachen have suffered for nearly three years due to damaged roads, disrupted transportation, communication difficulties, and interruptions to tourism and daily life.

Local residents said that despite repeated assurances from authorities, little visible improvement has taken place on the ground.

Lepcha acknowledged that road disruptions had badly affected transportation of essential goods, medical access, tourism activities, and ongoing development projects in the region.

“Many projects have been delayed because roads were cut off, and due to that we have fallen behind in development,” he said.

The minister also clarified that the people do not entirely blame the BRO or the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF), considering the fragile terrain and difficult environmental conditions of North Sikkim.

“We do not want to put the entire blame on the BRO or GREF. The condition of the land and roads is difficult. The people of Lachung and Lachen have also suffered greatly,” Lepcha stated.

He added that restoration work is currently underway with GREF workers and machinery deployed in the area, though manpower and equipment limitations remain a challenge.

“Instructions have reportedly been given to restore the road by July 16. Whether that will actually happen depends entirely on GREF,” he said.

The residents made it clear that July 15 would be their final wait for action and warned that if connectivity is not restored within the promised timeline, they would intensify their agitation and launch stronger protests.

Lepcha further stated that if the restoration work fails again, the matter may be escalated before higher authorities, including the Union Home Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office.

“If GREF fails to fulfil its commitment, then we too will have to make decisions. If this becomes a major failure from GREF’s side, then we may request that another company be assigned for the work,” he added.

The issue of road connectivity continues to remain one of the biggest concerns for remote border regions of North Sikkim, where damaged roads continue to impact mobility, trade, emergency services, tourism, and local livelihoods.