New road will shorten Kailash Mansarovar yatra by six days

India is completing the first road connectivity to the Current Control Line (FTA) with China in Uttarakhand to ensure a smooth journey for pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

The Border Highway Organization (BRO) completed the 80 km stretch connecting Ghatiabgarh and Lipulekh on April 17. After the trials were successful, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh led the way by video conference on Friday.

“Delighted to open the Link Road to Mansarovar Yatra today. The BRO achieved road connectivity from Dharchula to Lipulekh (Chinese border) known as Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route. He also dialed a convoy of vehicles from Pithoragarh to Gunji via video conference.” Rajnath Singh tweeted.

He also said that the BRO team has done “tremendous work in recent years and has played an important role in connecting border areas.” The path will also assist in the movement of troops to LAC.

The trail ends at the 17,000-foot-high Lipulekh Pass. From there, Mount Kailash is located about 97 km north of the pass in Tibet. The Lipulekh Pass, near the India-China-Nepal Tri-crossing, is the lowest point in this section of the Upper Himalayas.

A senior Defense Ministry official said that with the construction of the road, pilgrims can travel to Lipulekh from Delhi in two days. The distance from Delhi to Lipulekh is 750 km.

Interestingly, the main trips would be in India, 84 percent, and only 16 percent in China.

The 80 km section of Ghatiabgarh-Lipulekh was carried out under the instructions of the China Study Group (CSG) and is funded by the Indochina Border Highway (ICBR).

The road was approved by the Cabinet Security Committee (CCS) in 2005 at a cost of Rs 80.76 crore. In 2018, the CCS approved a revised cost of Rs 439.40 crore.

This route will reduce the usual travel time for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra by about six days.

The other route for the yatra through Sikkim is 2,780 km. It involves taking a flight to Bagdogra (1,115 km from Delhi), then 1,665 km of road trip, including 1,490 in China.

Another existing route is through Nepal. It involves taking a flight to Kathmandu in Nepal, 1,150 km from Delhi, and then a combination of two flights with a road trip (1,940 km in total) or two flights and a helicopter departure (755 km) or a total road trip from Nepal (840 km) Distance excludes 43 km on foot in China.

The new route through Uttrakhand will reduce a lot of time for pilgrims. It would be the shortest and cheapest route and also a fifth road travel distance compared to the other routes.