I-Day gift: BRO begins construction of world’s Highestmotorable road in Ladakh

New Likaru-Migla-Fukche road traversing 19,400 ft high Migla Pass to cost Rs 520 crore, empower defence forces

Jammu, August 16: Adding another feather to its illustrious cap, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has commenced the construction of world’s highest motorable road--the 64-km-long Likaru-Migla-Fukche road close to Hanle in the strategically-important Eastern Ladakh, on the occasion of country’s 77th Independence Day.
With this, the BRO will break its own previous record of building the world’s highest motorable---the Chisumle-Demchok road, which traverses the 19,300 feet high Umling-la pass, constructed by BRO in the year 2021.
The new road holds great strategic significance as it will not only enhance surface connectivity in border areas of Eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China but will also empower the forces. It will also improve the quality of life for the people living in these border areas and has the potential to improve the social and economic condition of the people who have been living in these villages close to the borders.
According to the sources, the road would connect Likaru to Fukche and it is situated very close to the LAC with China in Eastern Ladakh. The new highest motorable pass will set a new world record of being the motorable road at an altitude of 19,400 feet. So far, Umling La pass constructed at a height of 19,024 is the world's highest motorable pass.
Sources said the road, significant from defence point of view, will traverse the 19,400 feet high Migla Pass and a budget of about Rs 520 crores has been allocated for the ambitious project.
“Umling La is presently the highest motorable pass in the world at 19,024 feet and the road has been constructed by BRO India which is at the verge of beating its own world record. The BRO has commenced work on world's highest motorable road Likaru-Migla-Fukche. This strategically important road will provide an axis connecting Hanle to CDFD (Chushul-Dungti-Fukche-Demchok) road at Fukche. The road will pass through Migla which is at 19,400 feet and thus once constructed will be the world's highest motorable road and surpass our very own Umling La,” the BRO said in an official announcement through its official twitter handle.
Currently, India has been working on two major projects to boost military infrastructure near LAC in Ladakh, including 145-kilometre Chushul-Dungti-Fukche-Demchok (CDFD) road and the highest airfield at Nyoma. The projects are believed to be an answer to China’s rapid infrastructure development on its side of the border.
Sources said that the Likaru-Migla-Fukche project is the first project in India which is being undertaken by All Woman Road Construction Company.
“The construction of the road is not going to be an easy task for the BRO as the temperature in this location varies between -50°C and -20°C through the year. Despite logistical challenges, the BRO has built a 32,000 km-long network of roads in the past three years to provide access to the Defence forces deployed close to the LAC,” sources said.

Updated On 8/17/2023 12:48:25 AM