Border road to Lipulekh pass may take more time to be fully operational: Dharchula SDM

The recently inaugurated road from Ghatiabagar in Uttarakhand to the Lipulekh pass along the border with China may take more time to be fully opened for traffic as two bridges on the 75-km route are still under construction, officials said here.

The strategically crucial road at a height of 17,000 feet, which is expected to help pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, was thrown open by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on May 8.

Dharchula SDM A K Shukla, who undertook an official trial of the road, said it is yet to be widened up to its standard width of 12 metres at places and two bridges along the route are under construction.

Two bailey bridges with lengths of 150 feet and 100 feet are to being constructed at Malpa and Bundi respectively.

"The road will be able to take the full load of public transport after one year, provided the speed of work on the two bridges remains good," Shukla said.

According to the SDM even if the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra takes place this year, it would not be easy to take pilgrims up to the Lipuleh pass by this road.

"During our trial run on the road, we had to get down from our vehicle four times as several narrow portions seemed risky," Shukla said.

He praised the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) engineers for the herculean task of making road connectivity possible on such a rugged terrain.

"One cannot believe how the BRO might have cut straight rocks on the left and right side of river Kali," the SDM said.

According to a local social worker based in Dharchula town, who accompanied the administrative team, most of the work of widening the road is to be done in 10-km portion between Malpa and Bundi camps of the road as that is full of narrow bends where retaining walls are to be installed to make the road resistent to landslides.