NEW DELHI: An alternate route to the strategically significant Depsang and Daulet Beg Oldie (DBO) is in advanced stages of development and expected to become fully operational from November 2026.
The new road, which runs almost parallel to the existing Darbuk--Shyok--Daulet Beg--Oldie (DSDBO) road, follows the alignment of Sasoma--Saser La--Saser Brangsa--Gapshan--DBO.
Presently the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg-Oldie (DSDBO) exists as the only road link for the forces, which is under the direct observation of the Chinese forces at some locations.
According to sources, the strategically important 255-km DSDBO road ends at 16,614 ft high DBO, about 20 km short of the 18,700-ft high KK Pass. It has around 37 bridges, of various lengths and width, making the communication smooth. The alternate road to DBO, which is about 130-km-long, has a total of 9 bridges of 40T capacity.
Sources said: “We have completed everything from Sasoma to Saser Brangsa and ahead of it, eastward---Murgo and Gapshan---over 70 per cent work is done. We are certain that the entire stretch will be operational by October-November next year.”
For the forces, the new route will give another communication line and facilitate faster troop-armament movement.
“Almost all artillery weapons, including the Bofors were moved on this axis till Saser Brangsa to test its carrying load capacity," sources said.
The new road will also beef up the Siachen battlefield, as it branches off from Sasoma in the Nubra Valley, which is on the route to the Siachen Base Camp from Leh.
The route will converge with the Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road at Murgo, reducing the distance from Leh to DBO by 79 km – from 322-km via DSDBO road to 243-km via the new road. It will also reduce the travel time from 2 days to 11-12 hours.
The work on strengthening the bridges is also on. “We are also converting the existing 40T capacity bridges into 70T capacity bridges. Once they are completed, the army will be able to deploy heavier vehicles, and other armoured vehicles, which are crucial for offensive and defensive operations, particularly in challenging terrains.”
Plans are afoot to make it an all-weather road, the Border Road Organisation (BRO) is also building a 8-km-long tunnel at Saser La at 17,660-feet high and currently it is at detailed project report (DPR) stage. It will take 4-5 years to complete the tunnel project.
BRO's projects Himank and Vijayak are responsible for construction and maintenance of critical road infrastructure in Ladakh. India shares 832 km long Line of Actual Control with China in eastern Ladakh.
From Sasoma to Saser Brangsa, the construction work is being looked at by the BRO’s Project Vijayak, involving a cost of Rs 300 crore. Ahead of Saser Brangsa till DBO, the BRO’s Project Himank is mandated to build the road and bridges, costing Rs 200 crore.
The alternate route will have larger accrued military benefits on-ground: the deployment of troops, weapons and logistics to forward bases in DBO and other areas would become easier since Siachen base camp is near.
The Siachen base camp functions as the third stage of acclimatisation, which is crucial due to high-altitude and low oxygen levels. With acclimatisation, the human body adjusts to the lower oxygen levels and reduces the risk of altitude sickness. This makes the base camp crucial for effective deployment and improved troop efficiency.
The momentum for the second road to DBO picked up as the military tensions between India and China escalated. TNIE broke this story in May 2020, as skirmish took place between the PLA Troops and Indian Army soldiers both sides mobilised a large body of troops in a standoff mode since May 2020. Although disengagement, moving back from the standoff location, from all friction points have taken place the troops remain in the vicinity.
Significance of the new road
The new road is significant as it will serve as an alternate route to the existing DSDBO road, which is vulnerable to the PLA’s direct line of sight and can be threatened, as happened in Galwan during critical times.
The Galwan valley is on the same stretch, and the Chinese had carried out a build-up along the Galwan River valley during the stand-off. This also led to violent clashes between the two sides in June 2020, resulting in the killing of soldiers from both sides.
This new route will give an alternate and safe access to the militarily important Sub Sector North (SSN), which includes DBO and Depsang plains.
SSN, which includes Depsang, is strategically vital. Depsang is also a crucial link to Siachen and the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) airfield, the highest in the world at an altitude of 5065 metres (16,614 feet). The terrain permits large-scale armour operations, and China has multiple roads supplying the area, while India has only the DSDBO Road.
There are 65 patrolling points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, stretching from the south of the Karakoram Pass to the southern part of Demchok. “The roads’ strategic importance is that it connects Leh to DBO, virtually at the base of the Karakoram Pass that separates China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region from Ladakh,” the source said.
Although disengagement at Depsang took place, in October 2024, it had triggered the Indian side to beef up its line of communication.
The standoff at Depsang was significant and sensitive, as Chinese troops blocked access to five patrolling points -- 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13. The blocked area was around 952 sq. km, according to sources.
The five patrolling points in question are east of the strategic Sub-Sector North road, close to the LAC but within Indian territory.
What is Line of Actual Control?
Undemarcated borders between India and China, where both countries exercise actual control on ground and have differing perceptions, is the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with a length of 3,488km. It is further defined into 3 sectors — Western (Eastern Ladakh), Central sector (Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand), Eastern Sector (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh). The current focus area under tension is Eastern Ladakh (832km).
To strengthen connectivity and bolster strategic infrastructure in border regions, the Government of India established the Border Roads Organisation in 1960.
With the ongoing threat perception involving the western and northern borders and in order to step up the pace of work in remote and high-altitude areas, the BRO has been shifting heavy machines close to the construction sites. It has been carrying out upgrades of technology, equipment, and engineering skills.
Border Roads Organisation is concentrating simultaneously on the Northern and North-Eastern Borders and for the holistic development of roads in border areas.
]The tensions prevail specifically along the eastern Ladakh and there is precautionary deployment all along the claimed 3,488 kms long Line of Actual Control. More than 1,20,000 soldiers of the Indian army and PLA amassed along the LAC with heavy equipment like missiles, artillery, and tanks.
Roads prove integral to maintain such heavy deployment, however, the high altitude and rarefied atmosphere makes construction activities difficult.