The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has cleared five key road stretches — four passing through the Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — including on a route to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), the country’s northernmost military outpost in Ladakh and location of its highest airstrip.
The road stretches cleared by NBWL include a link road from Chushul-Lukung to Thakung post; a link road between Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DS-DBO) and Saser-Brangsa-Gapshan; DS-DBO to Track Junction; DBO to Karakoram Pass road; and upgradation of the Leh-Chalunka road. The 5.8-km long Chushul-Lukung to Thakung post road upgradation is part of the India-China Border Roads (ICBR)-III project and will pass through the Changthang cold desert sanctuary.
A total of 35 km of road stretches have been cleared on the new route to DBO, which runs parallel to the LAC. Crucial among these is the 7.75 km-long DSDBO to Saser-Brangsa-Gapshan link road, which will be built at an altitude of 17,000 feet.
The wildlife nod is a shot in the arm for the Ministry of Defence which has expedited infrastructure building along the LAC in the aftermath of the 2020 clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan valley that claimed the lives of 20 Indian Army personnel. The existing DS-DBO route, which is 255 km long, runs along the LAC and is within sight of Chinese-held territory to its east.
The new route to DBO, meanwhile, provides an alternative for quick movement of troops and resources for operational requirements and it is located at a nearly 100 km distance from Chinese-held territory. This route begins from Sasomo near Nubra river in Nubra valley and connects to Saser Pass, which is snow-bound for most of the year. Substantial progress has been achieved on this route through blacktopping of important stretches.
In its submission to the NBWL stating the importance of these road stretches, the Ministry of Defence said, “DS-DBO to SBG (Saser-Brangsa-Gapshan) link road is a tactically and strategically important location in the Sub-Sector North which is required to be dominated effectively. In border management posture, the pass is effectively dominated by regular patrol of troops and quick reaction teams placed at this location to prevent any transgression by the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) in the area.”
“To achieve the operational requirements during border management posture as well as hostilities, it is pertinent to develop the road connectivity between DS-DBO to SBGG link road to ensure smooth and quick movement of patrols, fast reaction of the quick reaction teams and faster build-up of troops and logistics in the area during hostilities.”
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The Leh-Chalunka road, meanwhile, passes over the Ladakh range connecting Indus valley with Shyok valley. This is the only motorised road connection over the Ladakh range and is essential for maintenance of troops and civilian population in Nubra valley, according to submissions made by the Ministry to NBWL.
The NBWL cleared these stretches with conditions that the animal passage plans to safeguard wildlife in the Karakoram sanctuary should be implemented and that the Ministry of Defence, which is implementing the project, should also obtain the requisite permissions for forest land diversion, if applicable. The Karakoram sanctuary is home to a variety of wildlife such as Tibetan antelope, Tibetan wolves, snow leopard, bharal, ibex, red fox, common otters and woolly hares.
The Ministry has proposed to build culverts and bridges for the safe passage of wildlife crossing on these stretches, according to submissions made to the NBWL.