Matching China in LAC infra, Nyoma airstrip set for Oct ops

Matching China in infrastructure development, India is set to provide connectivity to all Army outposts in the Himalayas within five years. Separately, the strategic air base at Nyoma in eastern Ladakh is expected to be completed by October this year.

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) upgraded the mud-paved runway at Nyoma, located just 30 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, into a proper paved runway last year. “The target is to complete the rest of the work by October,” said BRO Director General Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan.

The Nyoma base is being developed to support aircraft launch and recovery, as well as minor maintenance work. This includes setting up radar stations and building habitats for IAF personnel. Located on the banks of the Indus, Nyoma lies 180 km south-east of Leh at an altitude of 13,700 feet, where winter temperatures can drop to minus 20°C, necessitating infrastructure suited to extreme cold.

Once completed, Nyoma will be the fourth IAF base in Ladakh. Leh already serves as an operational base, while Kargil and Thoise (base of Siachen) have full-fledged airstrips. Additionally, Daulat Beg Oldie has a mud-paved runway used for special operations. Though there are two other such runways at Fukche and Chushul, located just 2-3 km from the LAC, these are considered unusable in case of conflict.

On road infrastructure, Lt Gen Srinivasan said, “In another five years, there would be no portion of the border where we will not be able to deploy.” The BRO, a wing of the Ministry of Defence, is working to connect forward Army posts in the northern sector that are currently accessible only on foot. “Now we are connecting those posts with roads,” the DG said.

He acknowledged the challenges faced in Arunachal Pradesh, where the BRO is building two key highways that will link all the state’s valleys seamlessly.

Among other major projects is the Shinkun La tunnel, poised to be the world’s highest, which will provide year-round connectivity between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh and serve as a third access route to Ladakh.

All posts to get connectivity: BRO

• Five-year target: BRO aims to connect all forward Army posts along LAC, replacing foot-only access routes with roads in 5 years
• Arunachal highways: It is building key highways in Arunachal Pradesh to seamlessly connect remote valleys across the eastern frontier
• Shinkun La Tunnel: Set to Be world’s highest, it will offer year-round access between HP and Ladakh, easing military logistics