Authorities have launched a coordinated operation to evacuate tourists stranded from snow-blocked routes by clearing he thick layer of snow along Lachen- Donkyla-Shiv Mandir axis in north Sikkim However, the work could not be completed on Monday owing to adverse weather conditions, delaying immediate restoration of connectivity. “Despite best efforts by the Indian Army and Border Roads Organization (BRO) in coordination with the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and local stakeholders, the route could not be cleared for safe passage of tourists lodged in Lachen,” officials said. The efforts to clear the snow are being resumed from Tuesday, it was reported. Meanwhile, District Collector Mangan Anant Jain and Superintendent of Police Mr LB Chettri are closely monitoring the situation and adequate manpower from the DDMA have been pressed in for the road clearance and evacuation process. The DC and SP are slated to visit the site on Tuesday.
