Sikkim stranded tourists evacuated

GANGTOK, Jun 18: The North Sikkim District Collector (DC) Hem Kumar Chettri on Sunday said that no fresh permits will be issued to tourists to visit the picturesque district in view of weather-related vagaries and restoration works underway for roads damaged extensively due to landslides even as all 2,464 stranded tourists have been rescued.

             He said that the evacuation of all 2,464 tourists stranded following torrential downpour for three days was completed on Saturday evening.

             All tourists and 60 students of Namchi College have left for their respective destinations by vehicles arranged by the authorities, the North Sikkim DC said.

             He thanked the BRO, GREF, ITBP, Army and district officials for the successful evacuation of the tourists

             "We have decided to not issue fresh permits to the tourists to visit North Sikkim for the time being due to the restoration of roads underway between Mangan Chungthang," he told PTI over the phone.

             "Our immediate priority is to restore roads damaged due to landslides and heavy rains and once the road connectivity is restored then we will allow the tourists to come," Chettri said. PTI