Road to LAC, boon for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 8
In a strategically vital development, India has completed its first road connectivity to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Uttarakhand, paving the way for a smooth ride for pilgrims headed to the holy Kailash Mansarovar and for troops deployed there.
The Border Roads Organisation has completed the 80-km section to the 17,000-foot Lipulekh Pass, from where Mount Kailash is located 97 km in Tibet. The Ghatiabgarh-Lipulekh road connectivity was achieved on April 17, which was followed by trials. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh opened the road by video-conferencing this morning. So far, pilgrims and security forces had to undertake a three-day one-way trek to reach the pass close to the India-China-Nepal tri-junction. Now, it will be a two-day drive from Delhi to Lipulekh (750 km) via Pithoragarh. In all, it will reduce the travel time for the yatra by six days. Beyond Lipulekh, the 97-km road to Mount Tibet already exists.
