Remote Arunachal Pradesh district bordering China cut off as strategic Sikam Sibu bridge washes away in floods

Itanagar: The remote Shi-Yomi district, bordering China, is completely cut off from other parts of Arunachal Pradesh after the strategic Sikam Sibu bridge near Yapik village in the district was washed away in floods triggered by incessant rains, officials said on Friday.

The district received heavy rainfall in the intervening night of June 2 and 3 .

The RCC (reinforced cement concrete)  bridge near Yapik village on the Aalo-Mechuka Road had washed away on Wednesday night, they said.

Several people travelling between Mechuka and Aalo were left stranded due to the incident as transportation of people and essential commodities to the remote district would be badly affected as it is likely to take days to restore the bridge.

Meanwhile, State Assembly Speaker Pasang D Sona on Thursday urged the Border Road Organization (BRO) to take immediate action to restore the bridge on Thursday.

In a letter to the chief engineer of Project Brahmank of the BRO based at Pasighat in East Siang district, the speaker said the Aalo-Mechuka Road "is the key and strategic road for movement of people, transportation of essential commodities, life-saving drugs, construction material, and movement of defence personnel in the entire Shi-Yomi district".

He further stated that owing to the inclement weather, supply of essential items and evacuation of emergency patients through sorties would also not be possible.

The bridge is required to be constructed on war footing to restore the connectivity and to mitigate the problems, Sona said, urging the BRO chief engineer to take immediate action