Indian Army’s Trishakti Corps of Engineers successfully completed the construction of a 70-foot Bailey Bridge in flood-hit Sikkim state in just 72 hours. A news compilation on how the Indian Army achieved this remarkable feat.
India’s north-eastern state of Sikkim experienced an unprecedented series of heavy rains on June 11. The state of Sikkim itself was plagued by incessant floods and landslides.
Flash floods triggered landslides in Mangan district in the northern part of Sikkim state. More than 1,500 tourists were stranded without mobile network while many people died due to floods and landslides.
Landslides cut off roads. Houses were flooded. Power poles were swept away.
The main roads leading to the northern part of the state are (Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong), (Mangan-Sanklang), (Singtham-Rangrang) and (Rangrang-Toong) Rangrang-Toong.
The newly constructed bailey bridge over the Teesta River, connecting Mangan, Chongu and Chungthang, collapsed and road traffic was completely cut off.
It is in this context that the Indian Army, along with the local administration, started the construction work of the bridge on June 23. Subsequently, they have set a record by building a 70-feet Bailey Bridge on Gangtok’s Thiksu Sangklang Road in exactly 72 hours. Apart from building the bridge, they are also going to the border villages affected by the continuous heavy rains and providing relief to the people.
Locals have expressed appreciation that the bridge will be very useful for transporting essential goods to several districts in the northern part of the state.
The government administration said that the immediate completion of this link bridge from Thiksu via Sangklang to Chungdhang area has enabled the affected people in Mangan district to provide essential medical aid and basic necessities.
State Forest Minister and Secretary of State for Disaster Management Pintso praised the Indian Army for the speedy completion of the bridge.
Such feats are nothing new for the Indian Army. Already last week, a 150-foot bridge was built in North Sikkim in 48 hours and they have visited border villages isolated by continuous heavy rains and provided relief to the people.
No Indian can remain without appreciating the selfless service of the Indian Army.
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