Gangtok, Mar 9: The Mangan district administration, in coordination with the Tourism Department, will resume issuing permits for tourists visiting North Sikkim destinations, including Lachen and Gurudongmar Lake, from March 9.
Tourists and travel agencies can apply for permits through the Mangan District Collectorate or via authorised travel operators, following government guidelines.
Mangan District Collector Anant Jain stated that permits for trips to Lachen and other notified areas of North Sikkim will be granted starting Monday. Permit issuance had been halted after a glacial lake outburst flood in 2023 damaged roads, bridges, and disrupted connectivity across large parts of North Sikkim, including the approach to Gurudongmar Lake.
The administration also issued a traffic advisory for the newly completed 400-foot bailey suspension bridge over the Taram Chu on the Chungthang–Lachen road. The bridge, with a load capacity of 12 tonnes, was opened last month by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth for regulated vehicular movement.
To maintain safety and structural integrity, only light vehicles within the permissible load limit will be allowed to cross the bridge, with a single vehicle permitted at a time. The Superintendent of Police, Mangan, has been tasked with deploying personnel to regulate traffic and ensure compliance, while overloaded or heavy vehicles will be strictly prohibited from using the bridge.
