Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday reviewed the master plan to develop a proposed heritage and tourism centre around the historic Chakzam Bridge in Tawang district, emphasising that conservation efforts must prioritise local communities and sustainable development.
Chairing a meeting at his office, Khandu said the initiative aims to preserve and showcase the region’s indigenous engineering traditions while creating livelihood opportunities for people living around the site.
He stressed that heritage conservation should go hand in hand with community participation.
Highlighting the civilisational legacy of the Himalayan region, the chief minister said innovative engineering practices existed in the area centuries before similar techniques emerged elsewhere.
In a post on X after the meeting, he noted that iron-chain suspension bridges were part of the region’s infrastructure long before they became known in other parts of the world.
Referring specifically to the Chakzam Bridge at Mogto, Khandu said the 15th-century structure, traditionally attributed to Buddhist monk Thangtong Gyalpo, stands as a remarkable example of indigenous, community-oriented engineering.
“This heritage must be protected, celebrated and shared in a way that benefits the people living around it,” he said.
Located near Mukto village, about 20–25 km from Tawang town, the Chakzam Bridge spans the Tawang Chu River in western Arunachal Pradesh.
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One of the oldest surviving iron-chain suspension bridges in the region, it has historically connected settlements on both sides of the river and continues to hold cultural significance in the high Himalayan landscape.
Khandu noted that the bridge already attracts visitors travelling along the Tawang–Dirang–Bomdila route and said planned development would help strengthen heritage tourism while safeguarding its historical and cultural value.
He underlined the need to strike a balance between conservation, community involvement and sustainable tourism so that the legacy of the Chakzam Bridge endures for future generations.
