Gangtok: Residents of Lachen in North Sikkim are grappling with severe isolation caused by crumbling road infrastructure. Despite the launch of the Centre's Vibrant Village Programme, which intends to bolster development in remote border regions, locals describe a dire situation where daily travel remains hazardous.
Local resident Tamding Chewang recently highlighted the ongoing crisis on social media. He noted that parents have stopped bringing their children home for school holidays over the last three years because the roads are too dangerous. The lack of reliable access has also left the elderly and sick vulnerable, while frequent shortages of cooking gas and food supplies have become a standard, painful reality for the community.
The region relies on the Chungthang-Lachen road, but frequent landslides since 2023 have repeatedly severed connections. While the Border Roads Organisation and the General Reserve Engineer Force are working on repairs, the rugged terrain and fragile ecology have stalled progress. These concerns surfaced again during a recent visit from Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who toured the region to review various infrastructure and development projects.
Lachen-Mangan MLA and Minister Samdup Lepcha admitted that the community has endured significant suffering. He pointed to the extreme geography of the region as a primary challenge but noted that authorities are pushing for a road restoration target of July 16. Officials maintain that while progress is slow, they are working to address the isolation of these strategic border villages under the ongoing federal initiative.
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