Third highest bridge in Asia dedicated to Sikkim

Lachen (North Sikkim), Feb 4 (UNI) Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today inaugurated the 170-m-long Bansoi bridge, costing around Rs.8.87 crore, along North Sikkim highway near Lachen in North Sikkim.

The bridge built in three years time by BRO serves as a vital infrastructure for tourism and army activities. It is located at an altitude of 8300 ft, and is the highest cantilever bridge in the country and the third highest in Asia, claimed Border Roads Organization (BRO).

The Lachen Chu (river) flows 92 m below this bridge before joining Lachung Chu some 20 km away at Chungthang to form the mighty Teesta river.

Lachen is a popular tourist spot and an important passage for the tourists to the world famous Guru Dongmar lake located at an altitude of around 17000 ft.

It is also an important link for the forward posts of the Army and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITPB) who mans the inhospitable North Sikkim border adjoining Tibet Autonomous Region.

This permanent single span bridge follows the construction of another similar important bridge at Rangrang near Mangan, the district headquarters of North Sikkim along the state highway.

The Rangrang bridge had been inaugurated in August last year costing Rs.5.75 crores and was also built by BRO.

With these two vital links and the proposed upgradation works of North Sikkim highway to National Highway single lane is expected to start fully by the end of this month, the district will be developed as far as communication and transportation facilities are concerned.

These connectivity works in Sikkim attaches much importance because of its immense tourism attractions and forward posts of the Army and ITBP.

Its significance has also multiplied because of the ongoing works for the 1200 MW Teesta Stage III project being developed at Chungthang and proposed mega power projects in Dzongu along Teesta river.

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