There is valid reason to commend the Border Roads Organisation for constructing the world’s highest motorable road in the cold desert of Ladakh. For apart from braving adverse conditions in weather and terrain, the project also involved making light of repeated criticism and some hostile moves by the Chinese military ~ the 54-km road to Demchok runs close to the Line of Actual Control. In 2014 the Chinese had made a deep incursion to protest an irrigation project, and last year there was a lengthy stand-off in the area targeting construction of the road that has been built over the last six years. It is part of the BRO’s Project Himank and is one of three key links to meet strategic requirements.

The road passes through the Umlinga top at a height of 19,300 feet and also runs close to Hanle as it connects Chismule and Demchok villages, some 230 kms from Leh. Apart from difficult terrain, the construction crew had to overcome temperatures ranging from minus10 to minus 20 degrees C ~ in summer. And during the winter it dropped to minus 40. The rarefied atmosphere caused a 50 per cent fall in the efficiency of both human beings and mechanical devices.

It is difficult to determine which posed the greater challenge, “nature” or the Chinese. Surely the construction crew need to be “considered” when the next round of gallantry awards are announced a few months hence, valour need not always have to be displayed when “under fire”. Constructing the road is only part of the story ~ maintaining it in motorable condition could prove equally daunting. And then there is always apprehension of the Chinese disrupting the movement of vehicles to “choke” supply lines.

The project also sends out a message of confidence. Till not so long ago the Indian authorities were hesitant to build roads near the LAC ~ it was feared that in the event of a major assault those roads could be used by the adversary to India’s disadvantage: indeed demolition squads had been earmarked to destroy roads should Indian forces have to retreat. The successful completion of the link to Demchok confirms that such fears have long been abandoned.

Trying to match the development of infrastructure with what has been created north of the LAC does remain a major task, the Demchok endeavour should prove a morale booster. It will also instill confidence among the local populace that the Indian authorities are committed to their welfare, and will not “cut and run” ~ as they had done in NEFA in 1962. The home minister had recently exhorted the populace in frontier regions to develop stakes in India, and asked the border guards to absorb them into the mainstream. The new road should help attain that goal.