Sikkim Earthquake: Rs 400 crore to restore roads and bridges alone

IPR
Gangtok: The continuous rainfall over past few days coupled with the devastating September 18 earthquake measuring 6.9 has wreaked havoc throughout Sikkim. The catastrophe not only claimed human lives including those of cattle, critical for a Sikkimese livelihood but damaged almost all the roads and bridges in the Himalayan state. Due to the damage to National Highways and State Highways connectivity to many parts of the state remains snapped. This has caused great difficulty to the affected persons since the medical aid and other civic amenities are not being transported in time resulting in loss of precious human lives.
After inspection and survey of the damages, the Roads and Bridges Department of the Sikkim Government has assessed that the total tentative cost of restoration of roads and bridges in the state would be Rs 39680.00 lakhs.
The Roads and Bridges Department has said that after shocks and tremors accompanied with incessant rainfall is further aggravating the situation.
The Department has already mobilized manpower and machinery for the restoration of all roads in order to facilitate and speed up rescue and relief operations. Efforts is being made to make all the affected roads trafficable in a phased out manner with emphasis being given to all State Highways and major districts roads. As of now, only restoration of temporary nature is being taken up on war footing.
Road to worst-affected Mangan reopened; Rescue begins
In the meantime there are some reports that the road connecting worst-affected Mangan (Mangan was the center of the September 18 Sikkim Earthquake) has been reopened and relief teams have started entering the interiors.
Union Home Secretary RK Singh, however, said the road from Mangan to Chungthan was still closed as it has suffered heavy damage.
Two rescue teams of 30 personnel each from Jat Regiment were airlifted to Mangan and Chungthan on Monday for search and rescue and they have started work.
The home secretary said one of the five teams of National Disaster Response Force placed at Gangtok has left for Mangan on Tuesday morning. Arrangements are being made to airlift another NDRF team to Chungthan.
“Food packets have been airdropped in the northern areas of north district this morning,” Singh said.