Permits for Lachen to resume from today

LALIT DAHAL

MANGAN, : Tourist travel to Lachen in North Sikkim is set to resume from March 8 with the Mangan district administration announcing that permits for the destination will again be issued through the established government procedure.

Mangan District Collector Anant Jain informed that tourists intending to visit Lachen will be able to obtain permits through the usual system followed for travel to North Sikkim. Travel agencies as well as authorised representatives can approach the District Collectorate in Mangan and complete the required formalities as per the prescribed protocol for issuing permits.

The development comes alongside an advisory issued by the district administration regarding vehicle movement on the newly installed Bailey suspension bridge over the Taram Chu along the Chungthang to Lachen road. The bridge has been put in place to restore connectivity in the area and authorities have introduced certain traffic regulations to ensure that movement across the structure remains safe and controlled.

Officials said the advisory has been issued in the interest of public safety and to safeguard the newly constructed bridge while traffic gradually increases along the route. The administration has requested cooperation from drivers, tour operators and visitors so that travel towards Lachen can resume smoothly while the necessary safety measures remain in place.

With the permit process reopening from March 8, the decision is expected to bring relief to travel operators and tourists who had been waiting for access to the high altitude destination in North Sikkim.