Around 1,500 tourists, along with approximately 169 vehicles and 79 bikes, are currently stranded in Lachen in Sikkim's Mangan district after a road breach near Tarum Chu Bridge forced the temporary closure of the Lachen axis.
The blockage on the Lachen-Chungthang road has cut off the usual evacuation route, prompting authorities to plan an alternative passage through the Dongkya La Pass — a high-altitude mountain route sitting at over 17,000 feet above sea level.
Also Read: Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang Reviews Essential Commodities Supply Across the State
Mangan District Collector Anant Jain confirmed that the evacuation process has begun, with multiple agencies working in close coordination to open the Dongkya La route as quickly as possible.
Snow clearance work is actively underway along the Dongkya La passage, which would route stranded tourists through Lachung before bringing them down to Gangtok.
The District Administration is coordinating the operation alongside the Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and the Indian Army — all of whom have been deployed to expedite the effort.
The Sikkim state government said all road agencies are working on a "war footing" to clear the snow and enable safe evacuation at the earliest.
It has urged all individuals in the affected area to remain indoors as far as possible and strictly follow instructions from local authorities until the situation is brought under control.
The breach near Tarum Chu Bridge remains the central obstacle, and no timeline for the restoration of the main Lachen-Chungthang road has been announced yet.