NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be inaugurating a strategically important bridge at Shyok, Ladakh on October 21 in the presence of the army chief General Bipin Rawat.
Explaining the significance of the bridge, a senior Army officer said, "This bridge will be an important link on the 255 km road linking Durbuk to the world highest Advance Landing Ground, Daulet Beg Oldie (DBO), located at the height of more than 16,000 feet. The road is also going to provide important weather link." DBO is very close to the Karakoram Pass and is near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The route is very difficult and required a total of 37 bridges of various lengths to complete the connectivity till end. The bridge has been constructed by the 50 Border Road Task Force under the Project Himank of the Border Roads Organisation.
The 1400 feet long bridge is at an altitude of around 13000 feet and will cut the journey from 14 hrs to 6.5 hrs. It is about 40 kilometers from LAC in the east. The State of Jammu and Kashmir shares a 1597 kilometer- long LAC with China.
It has been named after the Col Chewang Rinchen of Ladakh who fought against the Chinese in 1962 and was given Sena Medal for his gallantry. He was awarded with Mahavir Chakra twice for his courage and leadership shown in operations against Pakistan in 1948 and again in 1971.