The BRO has undertaken construction of 3,300 kms of road network through a project initiated in 2005 after India reversed its decades-long policy of not constructing motorable roads near the LAC to prohibit the Chinese from entering into India's territory with ease.
On Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a 430-metre-long bridge across the Shyok river, a tributary of the Indus, at the fag end of a 255-km road linking Darbuk in Leh with Daulat Beg Oldi sector near the Karakoram Pass along the LAC.
"The Leh-Karakoram road is also a part of this project. It has 37 bridges and is motorable all through the year irrespective of weather conditions. The Colonel Chewang Rinchen Bridge across the Shyok river has been constructed using the micro-pile technology. More than 75 per cent work on the 61 roads is complete," said a senior BRO official.
The Leh-Karakoram road provides a strategic advantage to India vis-A-vis China as it can enable troop movement with ease to the Daulat Beg Oldi sector. In April-May 2013, a 21-day military standoff had taken place between India and China in the Daulat Beg Oldi sector after troops of China's People's Liberation Army intruded 19 kms into Indian territory and set up tents in the Raki Nala valley.
Last month, India had also announced the completion of an alternate all-weather road to Doklam, which is a valley located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan. The opening of this alternative road, constructed by the BRO, provides India with the advantage of redundancy whereby one road can be used in the event of the closure of another owing to inclement weather conditions.
"The project to construct the 61 roads had been undertaken in the year 2005 with the deadline of 2012. But it was extended to 2015 and then again to the year 2019. Weather conditions inclement for construction work and land issues delayed the completion of the project. Apart from providing India with a strategic advantage over China, these roads can help improve trade and commerce in the border areas," said a top Army officer on condition of anonymity.
(Ayaskant Das can be contacted at ayaskant.d@.in)
( With inputs from IANS )