In News:

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), through Project Himank, has constructed the world’s highest motorable road at Mig La Pass in Ladakh, situated at 19,400 feet above sea level, surpassing the previous record held by Umling La (19,024 ft) in 2021. This achievement highlights India’s engineering capability and strategic preparedness in high-altitude border areas.

About Mig La Pass

• Location: Changthang Plateau, Ladakh.
• Altitude: 19,400 ft, making it the highest motorable road in the world.
• Strategic Significance:
  • Connects Likaru–Mig La–Fukche, forming a third vital corridor from Hanle to Fukche, near the Indo-China border.
  • Enhances logistical and military mobility, strengthening access to forward areas close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• Engineering Features:
  • All-weather road capable of withstanding harsh winters, shifting glaciers, and low oxygen conditions.
  • Designed for continuous vehicular movement, critical for both military and civilian access.
• Tourism Potential: Provides panoramic views of the Indus Valley, potentially boosting local tourism.

Project Himank

• Established: 4 December 1985 at Leh, to develop road communication in Ladakh’s challenging terrain.
• Operational Scope: Works in high-altitude regions with short working seasons and extreme climatic conditions.
• Contributions:
  • Supports the Indian Army in operations, logistics, and connectivity.
  • Ensures maintenance of key routes, including the Leh-Manali and Zojila axes.
  • Executes landslide and avalanche clearance, bridge construction, and snow removal.
  • Aids in restoring road communication and opening airfields in remote areas.
• Engineering Excellence: Demonstrates BRO’s capability to construct durable infrastructure under extreme terrain, low oxygen, and sub-zero temperatures.