Govt developing road network in Ladakh

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, January 29

The government is developing a network of roads, bridges and tunnels in cold desert Ladakh where tensions between New Delhi and Beijing are high.

500-km stretch being built

• 500 km of roads being built by different organisations in Ladakh
• 10 bridges and eight tunnels are coming up
• 195 km of road built/ blacktopped under PMGSY since formation of union territory
• 255 km of roads being upgraded/built by BRO for troop mobilisation

To improve civilian connectivity, the Centre is aiming to build 500 km of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) in the next few years.

This is in addition to the 255 km of strategic roads to be upgraded and built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for rapid mobilisation of troops in Ladakh.

“The Centre has sanctioned a target of 500 km inter-village road connectivity to Ladakh under the PMGSY-III,” Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Commissioner Secretary, Public Works Department Ladakh, told The Tribune.

Sahu has asked the Ministry of Rural Development for early sanctioning of the detailed project report of the roads, considering the short working season of Ladakh.

“Since the formation of Union Territory of Ladakh, 195 km of road has been constructed and blacktopped in Ladakh under the PMGSY, providing connectivity to villages,” he said.

In addition to the PMGSY, he said, nearly 500 km of roads were being built by different organisations in Ladakh.

Also, the 230-km Kargil-Zanskar National Highway, the shortest route to Kargil via Manali, would become an all-weather road as the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corp Ltd had begun the work, he said. Since, the formation of UT of Ladakh and China’s expansionist plans along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), New Delhi is in overdrive to develop a strategically important network of roads, bridges, and tunnels.

Officials say at least 10 bridges and eight tunnels are coming up in Ladakh for improving connectivity. The government is also constructing a strategically important 14 km tunnel through the rocky Zojila to reduce travel time from 3.5 hours to 15 minutes.

The tunnel will also provide logistics flexibility to the Indian Army and give it operational and strategic mobility.

Officials say the construction of the 26.6 km Hanuthang-Handanbroke-Zungpal-Turtuk road has picked up pace and it will reduce travel time to 3.5 hours from the nine hours to Turtuk from Leh without crossing the treacherous Khardungla.

To ensure seamless connectivity, the BRO has taken up the construction of a 78 km road from Khalse to Battallik sector, a 70 km road from Khalsar to Shyok through Agham village, 50 km from Kargil to Dumgil, and 31 km road from Tangtse to Lukung.

These roads will connect people to tourist destinations of Turtuk, Pangong Tso, Shyok, Aryan village of Dah and Hundar in Nubra valley.