Guwahati, June 2: In a major relief operation, all tourists stranded in Lachung in Sikkim’s Mangan district have been successfully evacuated, following days of relentless rain, landslides, and road blockages. The evacuation, described as a “gesture of care, concern, and solidarity,” was personally overseen by Director General of Police (DGP) Akshay Sachdeva, who welcomed the first batch of tourists at Phidang on June 2.
The DGP was joined by senior officials, including IGP (Law & Order) Tashi Wangyal, DIG Range Gangtok Pratap Pradhan, and SP Mangan Sonam Detchu Bhutia as they received the convoy of 18 tourist vehicles at Phidang in Lower Dzongu.
The large-scale evacuation began early Monday morning after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) restored one-way vehicular connectivity to Lachung. The restoration followed a massive effort to clear landslides and reconstruct damaged road sections, including the breach near the Phidang suspension bridge. The route—via Lachung, Chungthang, Siphgyer, and Phidang—served as the lifeline for bringing the stranded tourists to safety.
A total of 1,678 tourists — including 737 men, 561 women, and 380 children — in 284 vehicles and 16 motorbikes have crossed the Theng Check Post and are en route to Gangtok. The operation was led by Mangan District Collector Anant Jain, who ensured the safe passage of all tourists and praised the coordinated efforts of multiple agencies.
“This evacuation was made possible by the tireless work of the local administration, Sikkim Police, Army, BRO, ITBP, Forest Department, Lachung Dzumsa, TAAS, SHRA, Drivers’ Associations, and the resilient local community,” said DC Jain.
Tourists expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Sikkim and all involved in the evacuation effort.
The region had been cut off since May 30, after a sudden cloudburst and over 130 mm of rainfall caused large-scale landslides and breaches along the Dikchu–Sanklang–Shipgyere Road, and the Chungthang-Lachen-Zeema and Chungthang-Lachung routes. Two key bridges were also partially damaged, compounding the crisis in one of Sikkim’s most visited high-altitude areas.
Authorities confirmed that while Lachung has been cleared, road restoration work to Lachen is ongoing, and evacuation of tourists stranded there will commence once access is re-established.
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 Akshay Sachdeva, who welcomed the first batch of tourists at Phidang on June 2.){kind=link}