Preparing for a long winter facing the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in eastern Ladakh, the Border Roads Organization (BRO) has decided to allow the Srinagar-Zoji La-Kargil Leh axis to be closed for only 45 days out of the last 95 days scheduled. It will snow this year and strengthen all the bridges on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) highway to support the tank load plus the truck trailer next month.
Authorized government sources told the Hindustan Times that the BRO, under the Ministry of Defense, will also keep the new Darcha-Padam-Nimu-Leh highway clear of snow during December and January 2021 so that the military supply route remains on the route. of the clock. The Modi government is now considering preparing for the shorter tunnel at Shinku La on the Darcha-Padam axis so that this road is snow-free all year round.
Since the PLA shows no signs of complying with the agreements between the Special Representatives on the boundary talks (July 5, 2020) and between the Foreign Ministers (September 10, 2020) on the total disconnection to restore the status quo quo ante in LAC, the Indian Army is rushing supplies with the BRO to ensure that the 17,580-foot-high Chang La pass and the 17,582-foot Khardung La en route to disputed Pangong Tso remain snow-free. throughout the year.
With the aim of maintaining the weapons deployment in East Ladakh to match the PLA build-up in occupied Aksai Chin, the BRO is expected to strengthen all bridges and culverts up to Class 70 on the DSDBO road by October 15. The Class 70 bridge means that it can carry a load of 70 tons, which is more than the weight of a fully loaded tanker trailer. In strategic terms, this means that in a worst-case scenario, the DSDBO highway can be used to deploy T-90 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and surface-to-air missiles along the Eastern Ladakh Royal Line of Control. with Tibet.
While the BRO is expected to validate the Darcha-Padam-Nimu-Leh axis for heavy vehicle traffic this month, there is intense discussion within the Ministry of Defense about the length and alignment of the tunnel below 16,000 feet Shinku La . National Roads and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has been commissioned to study the shortest possible tunnel alignment so that it can be prepared in the next four years.
Most stakeholders, including the Ministry of Surface Transport, are in favor of a shorter 4.5 km tunnel alignment on the current axis rather than a 13 km alignment suggested by the Establishment of Snow Studies and Avalanches (SASE) of the Ministry of Defense. Longer alignment will not only delay the project with a series of studies and a detailed project report to be completed. Now it is up to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to take one last call.
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