Lachen Locals Build Bridge Over Troubled Waters
In a spirited show of self-reliance, the Lachen community in North Sikkim built a temporary road and log-bridge over the Zeema Chu river to ensure smooth tourist movement along the Gurudongmar route, showcasing remarkable teamwork and resilience.
In a cracking display of community spirit and good old-fashioned gumption, the fine folk of Lachen, led by their Dzumsa and backed by local tourism chums, have rolled up their sleeves and built a road and a rather splendid log-bridge across the Zeema Chu river along the Gurudongmar route. No half measures here — it’s been a proper job, and not just a bit of DIY with duct tape and hope!
The grand project kicked off on 19th April, and by 24th April — after what one imagines were five days of sweat, tea breaks, and the occasional polite grumble — a 35–40 feet-long log bridge and a 200–300 metre stretch of road were ready to roll. Today, to much fanfare and no doubt a few celebratory cups of chai, the road was thrown open for vehicular movement.
The whole caper was hatched after a pow-wow on 18th April at the Zeema river site, attended by the Lachen Pipon, local tourism types, and the Officer Commanding (OC) of GREF. The GREF, in a moment of stiff-upper-lip resolve, decided that the road to Gurudongmar would remain open for the foreseeable. Faced with a river without a crossing and tourists itching to get to the high-altitude haven, the locals thought, “Well, no use sitting on our hands,” and decided to sort it themselves.
Leading the charge was the Lachen Pipon, who also had a word with the Chief Secretary and the Area MLA, politely but firmly bending their ears about the need for something a bit more permanent in future. After all, there’s only so much you can do with planks and pluck.
“Lachen, being a border area, is a significant tourism destination. We have constructed the bridge and road with limited resources, and this is only a temporary solution, keeping in mind the tourism sector,” said the community members, presumably while brushing the dust off their trousers and trying not to look too pleased with themselves.
All told, some 200–300 community members mucked in, proving once again that when the going gets tough, the tough get their wellies on and get going.
It’s worth noting that the Zeema Chu bridge is a bit of a big deal — not just for Sunday jaunts and holiday snaps, but for connecting Lachen Valley all the way up to the Indo-China border. Previously, flash floods had made a right mess of things, leaving the bridge as useful as a chocolate teapot. Both the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local villagers have had several cracks at patching things up over the years.
The bridge is absolutely crucial — no bridge, no Thangu Valley access, no trade, no transport, and certainly no tourists. And we all know what happens when the tourists dry up — the teashops get lonely, and the souvenir yak keyrings start gathering dust.
So, hats off to the good people of Lachen! In a world where waiting for help can sometimes feel like watching paint dry, they’ve shown the rest of us how it’s done — with pluck, perseverance, and possibly a few strong cups of butter tea.
Sources : The Sikkim Express
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