Indian Defense Minister Ladakh Singh said on Tuesday that in the current uncertain environment, the possibility of “any form of conflict” cannot be ruled out. He opened roads and bridges in border areas such as Ladakh, where India and China are Fall into a protracted military confrontation. .

In recent years, India has stepped up its efforts to build important infrastructure such as roads and bridges along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), mainly to match the dual-use infrastructure built by China. Since the confrontation with the Chinese army in May last year, India’s efforts have become more urgent.

At a virtual event in New Delhi, Singh opened 24 bridges and 3 roads built by the Border Road Organization (BRO) in four states and two federal territories. Of the 24 bridges, 5 are in Ladakh, 9 in Jammu and Kashmir, 5 in Himachal Pradesh, 3 in Uttarakhand, and 1 each in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh . Two of the roads are in Ladakh and one in West Bengal. The highlight of the event was the opening of the Chisumle-Demchok Highway at the Umlin Pass at an altitude of more than 19,000 feet in the south of Ladakh, and India’s first indigenous 70 two-lane modular bridge built on the 11,000-foot-high Flag Hill in Sikkim Dokala. This road in Ladakh holds the Guinness World Record for the highest motorized road.

“In today’s uncertain environment, the possibility of any form of conflict cannot be ruled out. This situation further encourages us to develop these areas,” Singh said in Hindi.

“Without proper infrastructure development, the situation we are facing recently in the northern region and the way we can react strongly to our opponents is impossible,” he said, referring to the deadlock in the Ladakh region. LAC.

“As we move towards strengthening the border infrastructure, we must also strengthen our surveillance system. Infiltration, skirmishes, illegal trade and smuggling issues often persist in border areas. In view of this, the government launched some time ago Integrated integrated border management system,” he added.

Singh said that roads in border areas are both a strategic goal and the development of remote areas. “In this way, these bridges, roads and tunnels play an important role in our safety and empowering the entire country,” he said.

When talking about the construction of the highest maneuvering road in southern Ladakh, he said that despite the challenges of extreme altitude and sub-zero temperature, BRO has achieved this “historical feat.”

Singh argued that the country did not pay enough attention to the development of border infrastructure after independence, and said that major changes have taken place in methods in the past few years.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times