India completes first road project to Line of Actual Control

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has completed construction of the 80 km Ghatiabgarh-Lipulekh road in Uttarakhand.

The construction of the road was first approved in the year 2005 by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). While the initial cost was Rs 80.76 crore, in 2018, it was revised to Rs 439.40 crore.

The road ends just 5 km before Lipulekh on the Indian side and is expected to be completed all the way to the Indo-China border by the end of this year. The temporary ban on last-mile connectivity was placed by the Director of Military Operations and clearance for further construction is expected soon.

Due to this road, the Delhi-Lipulekh trip will now be reduced to 2 days and measure 750 km via Pithoragarh. Across the border, the 97 km road to the Tibetan Mountains already exists.

Before the road was built, the 80 km distance was a 3-day trek (one way) for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims. With the road being constructed, the total duration of the trip for pilgrims heading to Tibet will be reduced by 6 days. It will also benefit the troops deployed on the border.

The road to the 17,000 ft high Lipulekh Pass was completed on April 17 and officially opened today.

Source