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BRO Restores Chungthang–Lachen Road and Taram Chu Bridge in North Sikkim
The Minister of State for Defence inaugurated the restored Chungthang–Lachen road axis and the Taram Chu Bridge in North Sikkim. The restoration was carried out by the Border Roads Organisation under Project Swastik.
Chungthang–Lachen Road, Taram Chu Bridge & Project Swastik:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Road Connectivity | Chungthang Lachen road connects Chungthang in North Sikkim with Lachen a high altitude town near the international border |
| Strategic Linkage | Lachen connects Gurudongmar Lake located about 5 km south of the China border and the Thangu Valley |
| Restoration Trigger | Road restoration undertaken after disasters including cloud bursts in May June 2025 Cyclone Remal in June 2024 and the glacial lake outburst flood in October 2023 |
| Restoration Work | Border Roads Organisation restored 28 km of the Chungthang Lachen road |
| Engineering Work | Re establishing the link required clearance of 96 landslides and 8 km of fresh formation cutting |
| Taram Chu Bridge | 400 foot Bailey suspension bridge above the Taram Chu water body linking Chungthang with Lachen |
| Operational Role | Provides connectivity for civilian movement military use and logistics to forward border areas |
| Project Swastik | Infrastructure project implemented by Border Roads Organisation under Ministry of Defence for connectivity in mountainous terrain of Sikkim |
| Origin | Initiated in 1960 as Project Dragon and renamed Project Swastik in 1963 |
| Infrastructure Coverage | Maintains over 1412 km of roads and 80 major bridges |
| Major Roads Maintained | Includes Western Sikkim Highway NH 310A and NH 310AG |
| Disaster Response | Handled impacts of glacial lake outburst floods cloudbursts and Teesta River floods following the 2023 South Lhonak Lake breach |
| Service Milestone | Project Swastik marked 65 years of service in 2025 |