1,500 tourists stranded as heavy rains continue to lash Sikkim, 2 bridges damaged
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Around 1,500 tourists remained stranded in north Sikkim as heavy rains continued to batter Mangan district for the third successive day on Sunday, officials said.Two bridges were partially damaged due to inclement weather conditions, they said.Heavy rains also swept other parts of Sikkim in the past 24 hours.A landslide occurred near Nimachen Premlakha in East Sikkim, the officials said, adding that commuters have been advised to stay alert and ensure safe travel.Around 112 tourists remained stranded in Lachen and 1,350 in Lachung due to disruption in road connectivity, they said.Heavy machinery from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been deployed to clear the road from Lachung to Chungthang and further from Chungthang to Theeng tunnel.A major landslide at Theeng had initially blocked the road, but it is now reported to be cleared up to Shipgyer near the GREF camp.However, a large boulder just a few hundred metres ahead of the camp remains to be removed, the officials said.BRO teams are expected to clear the obstruction at the earliest.Mangan district collector Anant Jain, along with other officials, inspected the route from Chungthang to Shipgyer, and onward to Sankalang and Phidang, to determine whether the route is safe for the evacuation of tourists currently stranded in Lachung.The evacuation of tourists stranded in Lachen is being planned via an alternative route through Zemma-Donkela-Chungthang-Shipgyer-Sankalang-Phidang, the officials said.Meanwhile, the Zemma approach road has reportedly been washed out due to rising water levels and strong currents of the river, one of the officials said."Restoration work is expected to begin soon, and the evacuation through this route will commence only once the approach road is rebuilt," he added.The Phidang Bridge, located in the Dzongu region, got damaged due to a strong current in the Teesta river in the wake of the heavy rain, another official said."The river current has eroded its base, which may affect the structural stability of the bridge. The situation is being closely monitored as the bridge is crucial for movement and connectivity in the area," he said.The road connectivity of 13 Gram Panchayat Units (GPUs) with other parts of Sikkim remains snapped for the time being, he said.The Sangkalang Bailey Bridge, connecting Mangan to Chungthang, has also been partially damaged due to the current of the Teesta River, the officials said.The bridge is in a critical condition and may no longer be safe for public use, an official said, adding that the monsoon rainfall has intensified, leading to a swollen Teesta river on which the structure is built.The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) has issued an order, announcing intermittent restrictions on traffic movement on the NH-10 (Sevoke to Rangpo section) on June 2 and 3, in response to anticipated congestion and ongoing emergency works following the flash flood in the Teesta river on May 31.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business Standard
Sikkim govt rescues stranded tourists, locals, and taxi drivers in Chaten
The helicopter sortie began this morning from the Pakyong Greenfield Airport, with the first sortie taking off towards Chaten to initiate the evacuation process ANI The Sikkim government has arranged a special helicopter sortie for their immediate air evacuation in response to requests made by stranded locals, tourist taxi drivers, and certain government officials stationed at the Chaten area. The operation comes as part of the ongoing coordinated relief and evacuation efforts being undertaken in view of recent adverse conditions that have disrupted normal road connectivity and access to the region. The helicopter sortie began this morning from the Pakyong Greenfield Airport, with the first sortie taking off towards Chaten to initiate the evacuation process. The State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens in affected regions. Rescue and relief operations were being conducted in North Sikkim, following recent floods in the region. Meanwhile, the Sikkim government is still closely monitoring the overall situation in the region and is providing all necessary support and assistance to those affected. Earlier on Friday, in a major relief operation, all stranded tourists were successfully evacuated from Chaten, one of the worst-hit areas in North Sikkim, following recent landslides and flash floods. Mangan District Collector Anant Jain confirmed the evacuation. DC Anant Jain praised the joint efforts of the district administration, military, paramilitary forces, and local communities for their swift and coordinated response. "Our priority was to ensure the safety of every stranded individual. We thank the Indian Air Force and all ground teams for their relentless service," Jain said. The final phase of the operation involved Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters airlifting the remaining 63 tourists from Chaten on Thursday, with follow-up sorties resuming on Friday morning as weather conditions improved. The operation was carried out in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and local administration. Earlier in the week, more than 1,600 tourists were rescued by road from Lachung and Lachen valleys in a massive ground operation led by DC Jain. The tourists, including several elderly individuals and children, were safely escorted through challenging terrain and intermittent weather disturbances. Several days of heavy rainfall have triggered landslides, mudslides, flash floods, and rockfalls in many parts of the state.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Sikkim: State government rescues stranded locals, tourists, and taxi drivers in Chaten
Gangtok: The Sikkim government has arranged a special helicopter sortie for their immediate air evacuation in response to requests made by stranded locals, tourist taxi drivers, and certain government officials stationed at the Chaten area. The operation comes as part of the ongoing coordinated relief and evacuation efforts being undertaken in view of recent adverse conditions that have disrupted normal road connectivity and access to the region. The helicopter sortie began this morning from the Pakyong Greenfield Airport, with the first sortie taking off towards Chaten to initiate the evacuation process. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dad-Approved Ways to Celebrate Father's Day in Costa Mesa - Travel Costa Mesa Travel Costa Mesa Read More Undo The State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all citizens in affected regions. Rescue and relief operations were being conducted in North Sikkim, following recent floods in the region. Live Events Meanwhile, the Sikkim government is still closely monitoring the overall situation in the region and is providing all necessary support and assistance to those affected. Earlier on Friday, in a major relief operation, all stranded tourists were successfully evacuated from Chaten, one of the worst-hit areas in North Sikkim, following recent landslides and flash floods. Mangan District Collector Anant Jain confirmed the evacuation. DC Anant Jain praised the joint efforts of the district administration, military, paramilitary forces, and local communities for their swift and coordinated response. "Our priority was to ensure the safety of every stranded individual. We thank the Indian Air Force and all ground teams for their relentless service," Jain said. The final phase of the operation involved Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters airlifting the remaining 63 tourists from Chaten on Thursday, with follow-up sorties resuming on Friday morning as weather conditions improved. The operation was carried out in coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and local administration. Earlier in the week, more than 1,600 tourists were rescued by road from Lachung and Lachen valleys in a massive ground operation led by DC Jain. The tourists, including several elderly individuals and children, were safely escorted through challenging terrain and intermittent weather disturbances. Several days of heavy rainfall have triggered landslides, mudslides, flash floods, and rockfalls in many parts of the state.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Fur-taxi and the Furious: How India's pet cabs are rescuing the rides for furry passengers
TAIL WINDS Live Events LONG-DISTANCE WOOFS BIG BROTHER STEPS IN (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Maya, a wide-eyed indie with a nervous bark, trembled as the first Diwali crackers burst in the Bengaluru sky last year. Her pet parents, Rahul Chawda and Aarti Karwayun, knew the drill. Like every year, they had booked a pet-friendly stay in the countryside. But as usual, every regular cab they summoned turned back the moment they saw Maya.'Every year, the driver would either cancel or reluctantly allow her in, only to complain later. It was uncomfortable for everyone—driver, dog and us,' says a common story in urban India where pet ownership is climbing steadily. With over 32 million pets today—projected to rise to 51 million by 2028, according to India Brand Equity Foundation—more families are finding themselves stranded with furry dependents and no pet was during Covid-19 lockdowns that Mumbai-based Arpita Sandilya first felt the need for a pet transport service—not for emergencies, but to send rescued dogs to their adoption homes. 'That was my first real trigger, to be honest. I used my own car for rescues, and the idea just grew from there. I thought, why not start a service that helps rescuers and pet parents?' says Sandilya, who now runs a two-car fleet under her venture, TaxiForPaws Like many others in this space, she faces challenges. 'Finding pet-friendly drivers is hard. Not everyone is comfortable around animals or ready to clean the car after each ride.' Her cars are outfitted with blankets, bowls and custom-made dog-seat belts. 'Each trip ends with a deep clean—it is expensive, but essential.'Another Mumbai-based player, SDAASH Pet Cabs, started in 2022 after founder Pranav Lokhande lost his pet when no cab agreed to transport them. 'It cost us dearly,' says Heenal Lokhande , who runs the operations of two modifies its vehicles by removing the front passenger seat to create space for a soft bed. 'Some pets want to be beside their humans; others love their own space,' says TaxiForPaws, each ride of SDAASH is followed by a deep clean, and incidents like vomiting or peeing send the car straight to the wash station. The roadblock it faces is also similar—drivers. 'At times we ride the cab ourselves when drivers do not turn up, because we know the pain of not getting a cab on time.'In Delhi, FurryTaxi has faced similar hurdles. Founder Anurag Tripathi, who started the service with ad-hoc rescues in 2019 and later shifted to a structured service in 2022, now operates eight cars. 'In the past six months alone, we have done long-haul trips to Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. It's growing,' says again, the crunch is drivers. 'Drivers must be pet-friendly, trained and calm even when a Rottweiler barks mid-ride.' Each driver goes through a vetting process: 'They accompany me for initial rides, then handle a few with owners onboard, before going solo,' says Tripathi. People use the service for veterinarian visits, boarding stations and airport visits. Pets can travel solo or their pet parents can accompany them in the demand comes from metro cities—Delhi, Mumbai, cross-country journeys, platforms like FidoJet and CarryMyPet are leading the FidoJet started in 2018 when its founders—Rajesh Sharma, Manjeet Swami and Nikhil Khalera—noticed that pets were often shipped like cargo. 'We were pet parents ourselves. Watching animals treated like packages was painful,' says cofounder began with road travel and now offer help with air and rail travel as well. It is supported by over 150 vehicles via vendor networks. Their cars come with booster seats, harness seat belts and non-slip routes are Delhi–Mumbai, Bengaluru–Kochi and Hyderabad–Goa. Pricing ranges from ₹12/km to ₹20/km depending on distance. 'Over 90% of the demand is from metros,' says Khalera. 'But we have handled everything from senior dogs to blind pets. Every case requires planning, patience and empathy.'No story captures this better than that of Dobby, a wheelchair-bound stray adopted during the pandemic. Carry My Pet helped relocate Dobby from Nagpur to Poland. 'The owner had every reason to leave Dobby behind. But she chose love,' says Faisal Islam , cofounder, Carry My Pet. 'We managed her journey across continents, with careful coordination and tailored care.'Carry My Pet, headquartered in Gurgaon, operates on an asset-light model, partnering with logistics firms across India. They offer multimodal pet relocation by air, train and road. Their pricing starts at ₹13/km for cabs, ₹10,000 for relocation via train and ₹25,000 for domestic notes that demand is rising about 10% year-on-year. 'Pet owners today want real-time tracking, transparency and expert help.'But it's not all smooth. Regulatory ambiguity, breed restrictions, lack of pet-friendly rail infrastructure and inconsistent airport facilities still pose hurdles. 'We have relocated thousands of pets with a zero-harm record, but every ride demands precision,' says relocation he recalls is moving a Labrador named Ludo from Delhi to Port of Spain, via a complex, multi-leg route through Miami and the Caribbean. 'It took weeks of planning, but seeing Ludo reunited with his family was worth everything.'Even tech majors are watching. Uber, for instance, has introduced Uber Pet in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru. Pet parents confirm that while it's a welcome addition, the experience is still inconsistent.'Drivers often are not prepared, and there are no comfortable amenities,' says a Mumbai-based user. 'But it is better than nothing, especially when specialised services aren't available.'India's pet and pet-care market is forecast to double to $7 billion by 2028, according to consulting firm Redseer. As pets take centre stage in urban homes, pet-cab services have shifted from niche novelty to everyday essential
