Lachen residents protested in Gangtok over slow GREF road restoration work after the 2023 disaster. MLA Samdup Lepcha relayed GREF’s assurance to reopen the route by June 15, but locals demand a meeting with the Chief Minister.
Aggrieved residents from Mangan district’s Lachen in North Sikkim gathered in Gangtok on Monday to show their dissatisfaction against the alleged slow pace of road restoration work being carried out by General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) after the 2023 disaster. The aggrieved people said that despite several assurances, road connectivity to Lachen has still not been fully restored, causing difficulties for local residents, tourism stakeholders, and transport operators.
MLA Relays GREF Assurance
The aggrieved citizens also met area MLA Samdup Lepcha in Gangtok. After the meeting, the MLA informed that GREF has assured that the route will be reopened by June 15. He further stated that the people have demanded a meeting with Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang to directly hear from him regarding the issue. The MLA said he would try to arrange a meeting between the Chief Minister and the people.
The residents alleged that the delay in reopening the road has badly affected daily life and economic activities in the high-altitude region. They urged the authorities to speed up the restoration work and restore proper connectivity at the earliest.
Impact of the 2023 Disaster
On October 3, 2023, the Lhonak glacier in the Sikkim Himalayas burst, breaching one side of the lake, leading to a rise in the water levels in Teesta and inundating several areas of the state, leaving dozens dead and tourists in thousands stranded. The disaster resulted in significant loss of life, with dozens of people confirmed dead and many others reported missing. It displaced thousands of residents and left many tourists stranded across the region. The surge washed away numerous bridges, roads, and homes across North Sikkim. In the Lachen Valley specifically, the force of the river destroyed multiple essential bridges and long stretches of the road network, effectively severing strategic and civilian connectivity.
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