Against all odds: How Indian Army built 70-feet bridge in 72 hours in flood-hit Sikkim

In the midst of relentless floods and challenging terrain in Sikkim, the Indian Army achieved an extraordinary engineering feat that defied nature’s fury.

With braving incessant rains and challenging technical constraints, Army engineers of the Trishakti Corps constructed a 70 feet bailey bridge in just 72 hours in flood-hit northeastern state to restore lost connectivity to the stranded areas.

“The recent floods in Sikkim have led to disruptions of road communications to many areas in North Sikkim. Responding to the calls for rebuilding efforts, the Army engineers constructed a Bailey bridge at Dett Khola on Dikchu-Sanklang axis. The work started on 23rd Jun and completed within 72 hours, working under challenging weather conditions,” PRO Defence, Guwahati in ANI report.

Let’s take a closer look at the how Indian Army achieved this remarkable feat

The challenging mission

Since June 11, Sikkim has been grappling with relentless floods and landslides brought on by unprecedented heavy rains. Key roads leading to North Sikkim, including Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong, Mangan-Sanklang, Singtham-Rangrang, and Rangrang-Toong, have been devastated by multiple landslides, effectively severing the region’s connectivity.

In response to this crisis, the Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps stepped in. With crucial support from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local administration, they launched a mission to construct a bridge that would reconnect the isolated areas, aiming to restore vital communication and access.

Headquartered in West Bengal’s Sukna, Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army primarily operates along the eastern borders of India and plays a crucial role in maintaining security and peace in the region.

According to PRO defence, “The bridge is an important link to enable vehicular traffic from Dikchu to Sanklang towards Chungthang. The bridge will assist in providing basic necessities including critical medical aid for the affected people of Mangan district.”

“Mr Pintso Namgyal Lepcha, State Forest Minister and state secretary of Disaster Management visited the site on 27 Jun 24 & appreciated the efforts of the Indian Army in completing the bridge at a fast pace,” said the PRO Defence on the newly constructed bridge.

This is not the first time Army engineers have proved their prowess, earlier this week, they constructed a 150-foot-long suspension bridge within 48 hours to reconnect the border villages that were cut off due to the persistent heavy rains, bringing relief to locals, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Building the bridge was a challenge in itself, as Armymen battled adverse weather and fast-flowing waters. Videos of the same had surfaced online.

Floods wreak havoc in Sikkim 

Earlier this month, massive landslides triggered by flash floods in North Sikkim’s Mangan district claimed six lives and left over 1,500 tourists stranded without mobile network access.

The landslides blocked roads, inundated homes, and swept away electricity poles. Even a newly constructed bailey bridge over the Teesta River collapsed, cutting off the crucial link between Mangan, Dzongu, and Chungthang.

According to a local media report, citizens in the Dzongu district are now grappling with a severe shortage of essential commodities due to disrupted road communications. The situation has reached a critical point where the transportation cost for one sack of rice has surged to about Rs. 3000, the report said.

This week, Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting to review preparedness to manage the menace of floods affecting northeastern states, including Sikkim, during the ongoing monsoon season.

With input from agencies