BRO constructs modular bridge in North Sikkim

Gangtok, Jun 11 (PTI) The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has constructed a modular bridge at Toong in North Sikkim which will be opened for traffic by the end of this month.

The new bridge which will connect Mangan to Chungthang has come up in place of the old one that was washed away during the Glacial Lake Outflow Flood (GLOF) in October last year.

Sensing the criticality of the bridge at Toong, BRO workers had worked overtime despite bad weather and completed the construction of the Modular bridge at Toong, a BRO statement said on Tuesday.

However, the work along the approach road to Toong Bridge is still in progress, it said, adding that the bridge is likely to be opened for traffic by the end of this month.

The early operation of the Toong Bridge is likely to bring huge relief to all stakeholders.

Similarly, the BRO has constructed massive retaining structures and a Bailey Suspension Bridge at Phidang (North Sikkim) to provide seamless connectivity between the Dikchu and Dzongu regions.

The completion of the two bridges is a continuous and ongoing effort to improve road connectivity in North Sikkim, hit by the Glacial Lake Outflow Flood (GLOF) in October last year. It had extensively destroyed vital road networks and critical bridges in North Sikkim.

Approximately 20 km of road network and 16 bridges had been washed away then.

Among many bridges, the 130-metre-long permanent bridge at Toong connecting Mangan to Chungthang was washed away. PTI KDK SBN SBN