Road to north Sikkim restored as Indian Army completes Chungthang Bailey Bridge

Built by the Trishakti Corps and Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the structure is the longest and heaviest single span Bailey bridge in India

The Indian Army completed the 200-feet Bailey bridge over Teesta River at Chungthang connecting the road link to flood-hit north Sikkim on Thursday, Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, public relations officer (PRO) said.

Large parts of north Sikkim ahead of Mangan had remained cut off since October 4. (Indian Army)

Built by the Trishakti Corps and Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the structure is the longest and heaviest single span Bailey bridge in India, Rawat said.

The bridge was inaugurated by Sikkim’s roads and bridges minister Samdup Lepcha.

Large parts of north Sikkim ahead of Mangan had remained cut off since October 4.

As an immediate response, foot bridges and zip lines were constructed at Chungthang and Sanklang-Mangan crossing to move people and relief materials.

The flash floods occurred in the early hours of October 4 when a glacial lake at south Lhonak overflowed following torrential rain.

The overflowing Teesta destroyed human habitations, an army camp, several hydel power dams and important roads, including Sikkim’s lifeline, NH-10.

The flash floods in the Teesta river claimed more than 90 lives.

During the catastrophe, 23 army personnel, vehicles and crates of ammunition were swept away from the camp at Bardang in Pakyong district.

Only one of the missing army personnel was found alive and the bodies of ten soldiers were recovered later.

Army choppers were deployed to rescue Sikkim residents and tourists from Lachen, Lachung and other parts of north Sikkim.

Around 4,000 displaced people were sheltered at 21 relief camps by the Sikkim government.

India’s second-longest Bailey bridge is at Chubi in Nagaland.

Named after British army engineer Donald Bailey who designed it during the Second World War, a Bailey bridge is a portable, pre-fabricated truss bridge.