Sikkim MP writes to Rajnath, asks to ensure safety of defense infrastructure

Gangtok: In the wake of Glacial Lhonak Lake outburst flood which ravaged Sikkim recently, the Rajya Sabha MP from Sikkim Democratic Front party Hishey Lachungpa wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday highlighting the urgent need for immediate action to ensure the safety of border villages and national defense infrastructure.

The Rajya Sabha MP emphasised in his letter said that there is need for quick anti-erosion actions to secure and safeguard the national highway route that runs along the Teesta River from Zeema to Chaten.

He mentioned that the Lachen Village, Army Brigade, ITBP Camp, and Defence Transit Camp are all dependent on this road for survival. The imminent monsoon season poses the prospect of the entire slope collapsing into the Teesta River if safety precautions are not taken.

Lachungpa claimed that the area's current national highway is substantially damaged and impassable. He proposed reopening of the old North Sikkim Highway Road, which runs from the Rangma Army and GREF Camp to Munsithang.

The Rajya Sabha MP wrote on the necessity of replacing the missing bridges from Lachen to Chungthang, Chungthang to Naga Namgor, and the immediate restoration of the highway between Mangan and Singtam-Rangpo in order to address the debilitating road connectivity issues.

The absence of connectivity has hampered access to the nearby Indian defense armory as well as the mobility of civilians, he said.

He also requested that an all-weather, durable national highway be built from Sevoke to Rangpo in Sikkim, citing the numerous connectivity problems that locals and military personnel in the area experience.

The importance of these steps in ensuring national security and enabling the effective operation of Indian military forces and civilian life in the area was emphasised by MP Lachungpa in his letter.