Residents from Lachen in Mangan district gathered in Gangtok on Monday to protest against the alleged slow pace of road restoration work being carried out by the General Reserve Engineer Force following the devastating 2023 glacier disaster in North Sikkim. The aggrieved residents said that despite repeated assurances from authorities, road connectivity to Lachen has still not been fully restored, creating serious problems for local residents, businesses, transport operators and the tourism sector.
The protesting residents also met Samdup Lepcha in Gangtok to raise their concerns over the prolonged delay. Speaking after the meeting, the MLA said that GREF officials have assured that the road route to Lachen will be reopened by June 15. He added that residents have also demanded a meeting with CM Prem Singh Tamang to directly discuss the issue and seek clarity regarding the restoration work. Samdup Lepcha said he would try to arrange a meeting between the Chief Minister and the affected residents.
According to the residents, the continued disruption in road connectivity has severely affected daily life and economic activities in the high-altitude region. They said the tourism industry, which is a major source of livelihood in Lachen, has suffered heavily because visitors are unable to travel freely to the area. Transport operators and local businesses have also reportedly faced major financial losses due to the prolonged closure and poor road conditions.
The current situation traces back to the devastating glacier lake outburst flood that struck Sikkim on October 3, 2023. The disaster occurred after the Lhonak glacier lake burst in the Sikkim Himalayas, causing a sudden rise in the water level of the Teesta River. The flash floods inundated several parts of the state, killing dozens of people, displacing thousands of residents and leaving many tourists stranded.
The flood caused extensive destruction across North Sikkim, washing away bridges, roads, homes and other critical infrastructure. In the Lachen Valley, multiple bridges and large stretches of roads were destroyed, cutting off both civilian and strategic connectivity to the region. Since then, restoration work has been ongoing, but residents claim the pace of reconstruction has been too slow considering the hardships faced by local communities.
The aggrieved residents urged the authorities to accelerate the restoration work and ensure proper road connectivity is restored at the earliest to support livelihoods, tourism and essential services in the region.
