Army builds suspension bridge in 48 hours in rain-hit north Sikkim

Gangtok: The Indian army on Monday said the force has constructed a foot suspension bridge in less than 48 hours to reconnect the border villages in the northern part of Sikkim, which have been affected by heavy rain and landslides leading to the death of six people earlier this month.

A suspension bridge has its roadway suspended from cables usually passing over towers and securely anchored at the ends.

“The Indian Army engineers of Trishakti Corps have constructed a 150-foot suspension bridge in North Sikkim to re-connect the border villages which got cut off due to continued heavy rains to give respite to the locals,” the Indian Army said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed preparedness to deal with floods affecting various parts of the northeastern states, including Sikkim, during the monsoon. Many eastern and northeastern states experience heavy flooding during the monsoon due to breaches in water levels in rivers.

Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and a few other states also face landslides and other rain-related issues during the monsoon. In recent years, flash floods triggered by glacial lake outbursts have resulted in fatalities, displaced hundreds, and disrupted communication lines and road networks in Sikkim and Uttarakhand.

Shah suggested creating at least 50 large ponds in the northeast to divert and store water from the Brahmaputra.