Sikkim: Indian Army constructs 70-ft Bailey Bridge in less than 72 hours

Guwahati: The Indian Army on Thursday said that it has constructed the 70-feet Bailey Bridge in the Northeastern state of Sikkim in less than 72 hours.

Supporting the efforts of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local administration in restoring connectivity and getting normalcy back to the areas that were cut off due to floods in Sikkim, the Indian Army engineers of Trishakti Corps constructed a 70-feet Bailey Bridge on the Dikchu-Sanklang road, braving incessant rainfall and challenging technical constraints, Guwahati-based Defence PRO, Lt Col Mahendra Rawat, said.

The recent floods in the Himalayan state have led to disruptions of road communications to many areas in North Sikkim. Responding to the calls for rebuilding efforts, the Indian Army engineers constructed a Bailey bridge at Dett Khola on the Dikchu-Sanklang axis, he said.

Construction of the bridge started on June 23 and was completed within 72 hours, working under challenging weather conditions. The bridge is an important link to enable vehicular traffic from Dikchu to Sanklang towards Chungthang.  The bridge will now assist in providing basic necessities, including critical medical aid for the affected people of North Sikkim’s Mangan district, he added.

Lt Col Rawat further informed that Sikkim Forest Minister Pintso Namgyal Lepcha and state Secretary of Disaster Management visited the site on Thursday and appreciated the efforts of the Indian Army in completing the bridge at a fast pace.