Heavy monsoon-like rains have once again disrupted life in North Sikkim, leaving approximately 200 tourists stranded at Chungthang as of Wednesday morning. Mangan District Collector Anant Jain confirmed that multiple landslides struck the crucial Chungthang-Lachen route late Tuesday night, halting all vehicular movement for those heading toward Lachen.
The stranded visitors, caught midway by the debris, were provided emergency shelter overnight. Local authorities coordinated with the ITBP and a local gurudwara in Chungthang to ensure all travelers had a safe place to stay and access to basic amenities.
While the Lachen route remains blocked, there was a glimmer of relief on the Lachung side. Officials reported that the road to Lachung, which was also obstructed on Tuesday night, was successfully cleared early Wednesday. This allowed tourists stranded on that axis to be safely escorted back to the state capital, Gangtok.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is currently on the ground, deploying heavy machinery to clear the boulders and slush along the Lachen highway. However, the task remains challenging due to persistent, intermittent rainfall in the high-altitude region. District officials have stated that travel will only resume once the BRO declares the routes structurally safe for civilian vehicles.
This latest disruption is a significant setback for the area’s tourism recovery. The Lachen route had only just reopened on March 9th, following extensive repairs after the devastating 2023 Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). The fragility of the terrain is further compounded by unseasonal weather; authorities noted that other popular destinations, including Tsomgo Lake and Nathula, currently remain closed to the public due to heavy snowfall over the past 48 hours.
As of this morning, several groups of tourists have opted to cancel their northern itineraries and return to Gangtok. Authorities continue to monitor the weather closely and advise all travelers to check official advisories before heading toward North Sikkim.
