Border Infrastructure Development & Updates
- Thread starter Ankit Kumar
- Start date
Since we control the area, we can send them over by air, just like we did to the LAC last month.
But in case the Chinese push all the way to that bridge, they won't be able to bring their tanks over unless they build a tankable bridge of their own. And they can't bring it across by air since they do not control the land across the bridge.
Illogical. You can't possibly fly tanks in all the time. The only reason they were flown in as opposed to say the plains is Ladakh isn't connected by railway.
As far as the Chinese seizing such bridges are concerned, we can do to those bridges, what all armies all across the world does in such situations. Mine them & blow it up at the opportune time.
Somehow, after 10 pm, I've observed you & logic part ways.
It's unlikely we will use tanks there in the first place. And tanks can indeed be flown in. You only need to do it once.
You can bet that the area the bridge leads to isn't connected by rail either.
Why on earth would we blow up the bridge? It's not difficult to protect the bridge when the Chinese cannot take it or use it effectively without allowing their tanks to get across. They will just get stuck across the bridge and any attempt to cross it or mine it can be met with force. They will have to build their tankable bridge elsewhere, which is the point anyway. That bridge is holding important real estate.
are you telling us that we are still stuck with those retrogressive thinking of not developing infra to ensure enemy does not come in swiftly?
I think it might be more due to cost or practical considerations of laying a double lane in those constrictive areas.
You've asked for it. Watch how he spins it now. Players like Ashwin & Jadeja will be awestruck by his skill sets.
A two-lane bridge can be built over practially anything. There's plenty of space there to build even a four lane-bridge. So it's definitely not an isssue with real estate. Cost may play a part, but a two-lane bridge is not automatically half as cheap as a one-lane bridge. I don't think the difference is very big. The thing is that bridge perfectly fits only a mid-sized truck, and the surface finish is wood instead of a black top, and that's what leads me to believe it's been deliberately designed to be un-tankable.
The Chinese may have an actual advantage there. You don't build infrastructure that suits your enemy.
Indian Railways will be building 250kms of road in J&K to support its ongoing Katra to Banihal railway line construction project. Once the construction is over these roads will be handed over to state government. These roads will also provide alternatives to the forces movement into the valley.
BRO races against time to make all-weather road near India-China LAC at 17,000 ft
The arm of a giant excavator perched precariously on the mountain slope drills a hole into the mountainside. Standing at an altitude of almost 17,000 feet, Lt Col Ajay Chauhan says a silent prayer under this breath as the drill of the excavator bores into the mountain. This is a zero error exercise as a tiny mistake could send the 20-ton machine hurtling down into the raging Shyok river 50 feet below.
The high-risk operation requires precision. Crane operators risk their lives for the construction of the crucial road (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
Engineers of the Border Roads Organisation are racing against time to make an all-weather blacktop road to quickly move men and material from Leh to Daulat Beg Oldie at the base of the mighty Karakoram Mountain at an altitude of 16,696 feet. "This is an extremely risky task. There are always chances of an accident. The operators risk their lives. But we are preparing an alternate axis with a gentler gradient so that heavy trucks and equipment can be moved quickly between Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldie," says Lt Col Chauhan, officer commanding Road Construction company.
Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
The army has declared the 255 kilometre-long Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road its top priority for completion. The road starts at Durbuk at an altitude of a little over 14,000 feet and snakes along the Shyok river before climbing up to 18,000 feet near DBO. "DS-DBO road runs parallel to the LAC and connects the DBO Advanced Landing Ground to Durbuk. We are constructing 37 all-weather bridges on the road to enable quick movement of men and material anywhere along the LAC. Earlier, it took almost seven days from Leh to DBO without proper roads, now it takes just about a day," says Lt Gen Harpal Singh, Director General of the Border Roads Organization.
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BRO has built several all-weather bridges in the region (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
In remote high altitude areas, the window of opportunity to work is less than five months due to snowfall and extreme cold climate at extremely high altitudes. The temperatures fall to minus 50 degrees Celsius and it becomes worse due to the wind chill factor. Heavy snowfall in some areas also affects road construction. "Therefore, our aim is to complete our task before the onset of winters. We did not let the ongoing tension between India and China at the LAC affect our road construction activity," Lt Gen Singh adds.
The China Study Group has identified 73 strategic roads and labeled them as India-China Border Roads. The BRO is to construct 61 of these 73 roads totaling a distance of 3409 kms. The 255 km-long DS-DBO road has been identified as one of the most crucial of these roads.
The DS-DBO road runs parallel to the LAC and connects the DBO Advanced Landing Ground to Durbuk (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
This is perhaps the most critical sector as India faces multiple adversaries in the Karakoram mountain belt. This is the only sector where India shares a border both with Pakistan and China. And another adversary is the weather. "We are constructing a blacktop road at 18,250 feet. This is the highest point on the DS-DBO road and the oxygen in the atmosphere here is greatly reduced. Both men and machines here work at less than 50 per cent of their capabilities. Therefore finishing the task of giving our soldiers a wide blacktop road is a race against time," says Maj Anand, officer commanding, DBO Crusaders Road construction company.
Shyok river is also called the river of sorrow as multiple caravans and traders lost their lives crossing the river along the ancient silk route. BRO is now constructing 37 bridges along the road. "Till a few years back, even army trucks waded through the river and drove along the river bed. We are in the process of constructing wide bridges capable of carrying 70 tons of load. This road is truly a game-changer," says Brigadier Arvinder Singh, Chief Engineer, Project Himank. Brig Singh is the officer-in-charge of all strategic roads in eastern Ladakh.
The construction on DS-DBO road is being undertaken under very precarious conditions (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
In November 2019, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated 1400 feet-long, 70-ton load-carrying bridge the longest on the Shyok river. "This is the world’s highest baley bridge of this span at 14,650 feet altitude. We also used micro piling technique for the first time and completed construction in record 14 months," says Maj Daulat, Officer commanding Bridge Construction company.
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Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
Given the current India-China standoff, India refuses to buckle under pressure and is pressing ahead with completing the road and several other roads to enable better patrolling and protection of our territory. "We have also imported the latest machines from Europe to pulverise cement and rock together and make cement-based roads. They are quick to construct and relatively easy to maintain. We will lay a layer of blacktop on this for a smooth ride," says Col Deepak Baskandi, the Task Force Commander.
A blacktop road in Ladakh region (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
The army is using the latest equipment and technology to construct roads in the area. Techniques to build runways and airports are being used for speedy road construction. But the challenges for the BRO and army are as high as the Karakoram ranges.
"The biggest challenge will be to keep the strategic road open through the winters, especially at high mountain passes. More men and material are being brought in to ensure the roads are kept open till as late as possible," Brig Singh adds.
The Indian Air Force, which first landed a Fairchild Packet at DBO in 1962, repeated the unique feat twice, the first time in 2008 when an An-32 aircraft landed at DBO and the second time in 2013 when a C-130 J Hercules successfully landed here. Presently, there is a big helipad at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), the world’s highest at 16,696 feet and the government is considering a proposal to improve the facilities at the ALG. The DS-DBO road and the ALG give the Indian armed forces a unique capability to improve its presence and grip in the area.
Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
For the BRO, the immediate task of constructing the road may be all but over but the engineers are now making alternate access to DBO. The bigger challenge will remain to keep the road operational 365 days a year.
www.indiatoday.in
The arm of a giant excavator perched precariously on the mountain slope drills a hole into the mountainside. Standing at an altitude of almost 17,000 feet, Lt Col Ajay Chauhan says a silent prayer under this breath as the drill of the excavator bores into the mountain. This is a zero error exercise as a tiny mistake could send the 20-ton machine hurtling down into the raging Shyok river 50 feet below.
The high-risk operation requires precision. Crane operators risk their lives for the construction of the crucial road (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
Engineers of the Border Roads Organisation are racing against time to make an all-weather blacktop road to quickly move men and material from Leh to Daulat Beg Oldie at the base of the mighty Karakoram Mountain at an altitude of 16,696 feet. "This is an extremely risky task. There are always chances of an accident. The operators risk their lives. But we are preparing an alternate axis with a gentler gradient so that heavy trucks and equipment can be moved quickly between Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldie," says Lt Col Chauhan, officer commanding Road Construction company.
Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
The army has declared the 255 kilometre-long Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road its top priority for completion. The road starts at Durbuk at an altitude of a little over 14,000 feet and snakes along the Shyok river before climbing up to 18,000 feet near DBO. "DS-DBO road runs parallel to the LAC and connects the DBO Advanced Landing Ground to Durbuk. We are constructing 37 all-weather bridges on the road to enable quick movement of men and material anywhere along the LAC. Earlier, it took almost seven days from Leh to DBO without proper roads, now it takes just about a day," says Lt Gen Harpal Singh, Director General of the Border Roads Organization.
advertisement
BRO has built several all-weather bridges in the region (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
In remote high altitude areas, the window of opportunity to work is less than five months due to snowfall and extreme cold climate at extremely high altitudes. The temperatures fall to minus 50 degrees Celsius and it becomes worse due to the wind chill factor. Heavy snowfall in some areas also affects road construction. "Therefore, our aim is to complete our task before the onset of winters. We did not let the ongoing tension between India and China at the LAC affect our road construction activity," Lt Gen Singh adds.
The China Study Group has identified 73 strategic roads and labeled them as India-China Border Roads. The BRO is to construct 61 of these 73 roads totaling a distance of 3409 kms. The 255 km-long DS-DBO road has been identified as one of the most crucial of these roads.
The DS-DBO road runs parallel to the LAC and connects the DBO Advanced Landing Ground to Durbuk (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
This is perhaps the most critical sector as India faces multiple adversaries in the Karakoram mountain belt. This is the only sector where India shares a border both with Pakistan and China. And another adversary is the weather. "We are constructing a blacktop road at 18,250 feet. This is the highest point on the DS-DBO road and the oxygen in the atmosphere here is greatly reduced. Both men and machines here work at less than 50 per cent of their capabilities. Therefore finishing the task of giving our soldiers a wide blacktop road is a race against time," says Maj Anand, officer commanding, DBO Crusaders Road construction company.
Shyok river is also called the river of sorrow as multiple caravans and traders lost their lives crossing the river along the ancient silk route. BRO is now constructing 37 bridges along the road. "Till a few years back, even army trucks waded through the river and drove along the river bed. We are in the process of constructing wide bridges capable of carrying 70 tons of load. This road is truly a game-changer," says Brigadier Arvinder Singh, Chief Engineer, Project Himank. Brig Singh is the officer-in-charge of all strategic roads in eastern Ladakh.
The construction on DS-DBO road is being undertaken under very precarious conditions (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
In November 2019, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated 1400 feet-long, 70-ton load-carrying bridge the longest on the Shyok river. "This is the world’s highest baley bridge of this span at 14,650 feet altitude. We also used micro piling technique for the first time and completed construction in record 14 months," says Maj Daulat, Officer commanding Bridge Construction company.
advertisement
Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
Given the current India-China standoff, India refuses to buckle under pressure and is pressing ahead with completing the road and several other roads to enable better patrolling and protection of our territory. "We have also imported the latest machines from Europe to pulverise cement and rock together and make cement-based roads. They are quick to construct and relatively easy to maintain. We will lay a layer of blacktop on this for a smooth ride," says Col Deepak Baskandi, the Task Force Commander.
A blacktop road in Ladakh region (Image credit: Kirpal Singh/India Today)
The army is using the latest equipment and technology to construct roads in the area. Techniques to build runways and airports are being used for speedy road construction. But the challenges for the BRO and army are as high as the Karakoram ranges.
"The biggest challenge will be to keep the strategic road open through the winters, especially at high mountain passes. More men and material are being brought in to ensure the roads are kept open till as late as possible," Brig Singh adds.
The Indian Air Force, which first landed a Fairchild Packet at DBO in 1962, repeated the unique feat twice, the first time in 2008 when an An-32 aircraft landed at DBO and the second time in 2013 when a C-130 J Hercules successfully landed here. Presently, there is a big helipad at the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), the world’s highest at 16,696 feet and the government is considering a proposal to improve the facilities at the ALG. The DS-DBO road and the ALG give the Indian armed forces a unique capability to improve its presence and grip in the area.
Credit: Col Vinayak Bhat (Retd)
For the BRO, the immediate task of constructing the road may be all but over but the engineers are now making alternate access to DBO. The bigger challenge will remain to keep the road operational 365 days a year.
BRO races against time to make all-weather road near India-China LAC at 17,000 ft | India Today Exclusive
India Today brings you an exclusive insight into the construction of an all-weather road which will connect Leh with Daulat Beg Oldie at the base of the mighty Karakoram Mountain at an altitude of 16,696 feet. The road will enable Indian armed forces to quickly transport men and equipment to LAC...
A peek inside the Atal Rohtang Tunnel
The view from inside the world’s longest high-altitude road tunnel built under the Rohtang Pass
Stand-off with PLA pushes India to go for new snow-free axis to Ladakh
India’s national security planners are pushing hard to complete an all-weather strategic route to Ladakh that will link Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Nimu via Padum in Kargil’s Zanskar valley, people familiar with the matter said. Nimu is 35 kilometres from Leh town and headquarters of XIV Corps responsible for the defence of East Ladakh and Siachen Glacier.
This would be the first all-weather route to Ladakh that is already connected by two other routes; the first via Zoji La in Jammu and Kashmir and the second, via Himachal’s Manali-Upshi-Leh axis. The 9.02 kilometre Atal tunnel at Rohtang La, which will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km, is set to become operational next month.
Senior military commanders said the third route to feed Ladakh by road is urgently needed given how Pakistan and its all-weather friend, China were eyeing the Siachen Glacier and Daulat Beg Oldie.
The defence ministry’s road project is being given its hardest push by road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and his colleague Gen VK Singh after China provoked a standoff along the Line of Actual Control in East Ladakh and started mobilising troops in depth areas. New Delhi perceives Beijing’s reluctance to disengage despite reminders as an effort to set a new normal at the border.
Officials said the third route requires upgrading the Darcha-Padum-Nimu trekking route into a metalled road and building a 4.5 kilometre tunnel under Shingo La on the Darcha-Padum route. The project, which has been in the pipeline for a decade, is scheduled to be completed by the defence ministry within two years.
In an effort to ensure that the project meets its two-year deadline, Gadkari’s ministry has proposed that the task to build the tunnel should be given to the company that constructed the 9.02 km tunnel at Rohtang La on the condition that it meets the timeline.
According to military commanders, the need to build the third axis was felt as tunnelling would be required under four more high mountain passes on the existing Manali-Leh route if the road has to be kept open throughout the year. The Atal tunnel at Rohtang La on this route has been built at a height of 10,171 feet and is already the world’s longest at this altitude.
The four passes that would require tunnels on the existing Manali-Leh route are at higher altitudes: Baralacha La (16,500 feet), Nakee La (15,547 feet), Lachung La (16,616 feet), and Tanglang La (17,480 feet). These passes are only open for traffic between mid-May to mid-November and covered with deep snow remaining part of the year.
However, the Darcha-Padum-Nimu route requires only a single 4.5 km tunnel through the 16,570 feet Shingo La between Darcha and Padum to ensure that the road is closed only for two months in winter. Darcha is 147 kilometres from Manali and lies on the highway to Leh after Jispa and Keylong across Rohtang La.
The distance between Darcha and Padum is about 148 kilometres with the Zanskar sub-divisional town connected to Kargil via a 230-km long single lane road. Work is already on to construct the Darcha-Padum road with another 260 km road work in progress between Padum and Nimu, the 14 Corps headquarters in Ladakh.
“We are looking to build a road that bisects the Leh-Kargil highway around Lamayuru monastery and connects Darcha via Padum. This road will allow Indian military and the local population to get round-the-year supplies… The route is not under the prying eyes of the Pakistan Army as in Kaksar in Kargil district or the DSDBO (Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie) route that is under observation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” said a former army chief.
Apart from keeping the supply lines open for the military guarding Siachen, Kargil and DBO sectors, the Darcha-Nimu route will also develop the new union territory of Ladakh to match the aspirations of its people.
www.hindustantimes.com
India’s national security planners are pushing hard to complete an all-weather strategic route to Ladakh that will link Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Nimu via Padum in Kargil’s Zanskar valley, people familiar with the matter said. Nimu is 35 kilometres from Leh town and headquarters of XIV Corps responsible for the defence of East Ladakh and Siachen Glacier.
This would be the first all-weather route to Ladakh that is already connected by two other routes; the first via Zoji La in Jammu and Kashmir and the second, via Himachal’s Manali-Upshi-Leh axis. The 9.02 kilometre Atal tunnel at Rohtang La, which will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km, is set to become operational next month.
Senior military commanders said the third route to feed Ladakh by road is urgently needed given how Pakistan and its all-weather friend, China were eyeing the Siachen Glacier and Daulat Beg Oldie.
The defence ministry’s road project is being given its hardest push by road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and his colleague Gen VK Singh after China provoked a standoff along the Line of Actual Control in East Ladakh and started mobilising troops in depth areas. New Delhi perceives Beijing’s reluctance to disengage despite reminders as an effort to set a new normal at the border.
Officials said the third route requires upgrading the Darcha-Padum-Nimu trekking route into a metalled road and building a 4.5 kilometre tunnel under Shingo La on the Darcha-Padum route. The project, which has been in the pipeline for a decade, is scheduled to be completed by the defence ministry within two years.
In an effort to ensure that the project meets its two-year deadline, Gadkari’s ministry has proposed that the task to build the tunnel should be given to the company that constructed the 9.02 km tunnel at Rohtang La on the condition that it meets the timeline.
According to military commanders, the need to build the third axis was felt as tunnelling would be required under four more high mountain passes on the existing Manali-Leh route if the road has to be kept open throughout the year. The Atal tunnel at Rohtang La on this route has been built at a height of 10,171 feet and is already the world’s longest at this altitude.
The four passes that would require tunnels on the existing Manali-Leh route are at higher altitudes: Baralacha La (16,500 feet), Nakee La (15,547 feet), Lachung La (16,616 feet), and Tanglang La (17,480 feet). These passes are only open for traffic between mid-May to mid-November and covered with deep snow remaining part of the year.
However, the Darcha-Padum-Nimu route requires only a single 4.5 km tunnel through the 16,570 feet Shingo La between Darcha and Padum to ensure that the road is closed only for two months in winter. Darcha is 147 kilometres from Manali and lies on the highway to Leh after Jispa and Keylong across Rohtang La.
The distance between Darcha and Padum is about 148 kilometres with the Zanskar sub-divisional town connected to Kargil via a 230-km long single lane road. Work is already on to construct the Darcha-Padum road with another 260 km road work in progress between Padum and Nimu, the 14 Corps headquarters in Ladakh.
“We are looking to build a road that bisects the Leh-Kargil highway around Lamayuru monastery and connects Darcha via Padum. This road will allow Indian military and the local population to get round-the-year supplies… The route is not under the prying eyes of the Pakistan Army as in Kaksar in Kargil district or the DSDBO (Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie) route that is under observation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” said a former army chief.
Apart from keeping the supply lines open for the military guarding Siachen, Kargil and DBO sectors, the Darcha-Nimu route will also develop the new union territory of Ladakh to match the aspirations of its people.
Stand-off with PLA pushes India to go for new snow-free axis to Ladakh
The project to build a third road to Ladakh is targeted to be completed in two years. It requires a 4.5 km tunnel to be built under Shingo La, a high mountain pass at 16,570 feet on the border between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh
Stand-off with PLA pushes India to go for new snow-free axis to Ladakh
India’s national security planners are pushing hard to complete an all-weather strategic route to Ladakh that will link Darcha in Himachal Pradesh to Nimu via Padum in Kargil’s Zanskar valley, people familiar with the matter said. Nimu is 35 kilometres from Leh town and headquarters of XIV Corps responsible for the defence of East Ladakh and Siachen Glacier.
This would be the first all-weather route to Ladakh that is already connected by two other routes; the first via Zoji La in Jammu and Kashmir and the second, via Himachal’s Manali-Upshi-Leh axis. The 9.02 kilometre Atal tunnel at Rohtang La, which will reduce the distance between Manali and Leh by 46 km, is set to become operational next month.
Senior military commanders said the third route to feed Ladakh by road is urgently needed given how Pakistan and its all-weather friend, China were eyeing the Siachen Glacier and Daulat Beg Oldie.
The defence ministry’s road project is being given its hardest push by road and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and his colleague Gen VK Singh after China provoked a standoff along the Line of Actual Control in East Ladakh and started mobilising troops in depth areas. New Delhi perceives Beijing’s reluctance to disengage despite reminders as an effort to set a new normal at the border.
Officials said the third route requires upgrading the Darcha-Padum-Nimu trekking route into a metalled road and building a 4.5 kilometre tunnel under Shingo La on the Darcha-Padum route. The project, which has been in the pipeline for a decade, is scheduled to be completed by the defence ministry within two years.
In an effort to ensure that the project meets its two-year deadline, Gadkari’s ministry has proposed that the task to build the tunnel should be given to the company that constructed the 9.02 km tunnel at Rohtang La on the condition that it meets the timeline.
According to military commanders, the need to build the third axis was felt as tunnelling would be required under four more high mountain passes on the existing Manali-Leh route if the road has to be kept open throughout the year. The Atal tunnel at Rohtang La on this route has been built at a height of 10,171 feet and is already the world’s longest at this altitude.
The four passes that would require tunnels on the existing Manali-Leh route are at higher altitudes: Baralacha La (16,500 feet), Nakee La (15,547 feet), Lachung La (16,616 feet), and Tanglang La (17,480 feet). These passes are only open for traffic between mid-May to mid-November and covered with deep snow remaining part of the year.
However, the Darcha-Padum-Nimu route requires only a single 4.5 km tunnel through the 16,570 feet Shingo La between Darcha and Padum to ensure that the road is closed only for two months in winter. Darcha is 147 kilometres from Manali and lies on the highway to Leh after Jispa and Keylong across Rohtang La.
The distance between Darcha and Padum is about 148 kilometres with the Zanskar sub-divisional town connected to Kargil via a 230-km long single lane road. Work is already on to construct the Darcha-Padum road with another 260 km road work in progress between Padum and Nimu, the 14 Corps headquarters in Ladakh.
“We are looking to build a road that bisects the Leh-Kargil highway around Lamayuru monastery and connects Darcha via Padum. This road will allow Indian military and the local population to get round-the-year supplies… The route is not under the prying eyes of the Pakistan Army as in Kaksar in Kargil district or the DSDBO (Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie) route that is under observation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA),” said a former army chief.
Apart from keeping the supply lines open for the military guarding Siachen, Kargil and DBO sectors, the Darcha-Nimu route will also develop the new union territory of Ladakh to match the aspirations of its people.
Stand-off with PLA pushes India to go for new snow-free axis to Ladakh
The project to build a third road to Ladakh is targeted to be completed in two years. It requires a 4.5 km tunnel to be built under Shingo La, a high mountain pass at 16,570 feet on the border between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh