WATCH VIDEO | Indian Army's 72-Hour Bridge Miracle Defies Sikkim Floods, Restores Connectivity

In the midst of relentless floods and challenging terrain in Sikkim, an extraordinary engineering feat has been achieved by the Indian Army, defying nature's fury.

Braving incessant rains and challenging technical constraints, a 70-feet bailey bridge was constructed by Army engineers of the Trishakti Corps in just 72 hours in the flood-hit northeastern state to restore lost connectivity to stranded areas.

All You Need To Know: Indian Army's 72-Hour Bridge Miracle

The construction of the Bailey bridge at Dett Khola on the Dikchu-Sanklang axis, responding to calls for rebuilding efforts due to recent floods in Sikkim, was completed within 72 hours starting from June 23, under challenging weather conditions, as reported by PRO Defence, Guwahati in an ANI report.

The challenging mission began since June 11, with Sikkim grappling with relentless floods and landslides triggered by unprecedented heavy rains. Key roads leading to North Sikkim, including Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong, Mangan-Sanklang, Singtham-Rangrang, and Rangrang-Toong, have been devastated by multiple landslides, effectively severing the region's connectivity.

In response to this crisis, the Indian Army's Trishakti Corps stepped in, with crucial support from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local administration, launching a mission to construct a bridge to reconnect isolated areas and restore vital communication and access.

Headquartered in West Bengal's Sukna, Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army primarily operates along the eastern borders of India and plays a crucial role in maintaining security and peace in the region.

According to PRO Defence, "The bridge is an important link to enable vehicular traffic from Dikchu to Sanklang towards Chungthang. The bridge will assist in providing basic necessities including critical medical aid for the affected people of Mangan district."

"The efforts of the Indian Army in completing the bridge at a fast pace were appreciated by Mr. Pintso Namgyal Lepcha, State Forest Minister and state secretary of Disaster Management, who visited the site on June 27," said the PRO Defence on the newly constructed bridge.

This is not the first demonstration of Army engineers' prowess; earlier this week, they constructed a 150-foot-long suspension bridge within 48 hours to reconnect border villages cut off due to persistent heavy rains, bringing relief to locals, as stated by the Ministry of Defence in a statement, as reported by First Post.

Building the bridge was a challenge in itself, as Armymen battled adverse weather and fast-flowing waters, with videos of the construction surfacing online.

Floods wreak havoc in Sikkim

Earlier this month, massive landslides triggered by flash floods in North Sikkim's Mangan district claimed six lives and left over 1,500 tourists stranded without mobile network access. The landslides blocked roads, inundated homes, and swept away electricity poles. Even a newly constructed bailey bridge over the Teesta River collapsed, cutting off the crucial link between Mangan, Dzongu, and Chungthang.

According to a local media report, citizens in the Dzongu district are now grappling with a severe shortage of essential commodities due to disrupted road communications. The situation has reached a critical point where the transportation cost for one sack of rice has surged to about Rs. 3000, the report said.

This week, a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed preparedness to manage the menace of floods affecting northeastern states, including Sikkim, during the ongoing monsoon season.