New Delhi/Leh, feb 1: Raising concerns that directly affect public safety, year-round mobility and access to essential services in remote villages, former CEC/Chairman LAHDC Leh, Adv. Tashi Gyalson has urged the Border Roads Organisation to urgently take up two long-pending connectivity interventions — the construction of an alternative road from Yulchung to Neyrags Junction via Yulchung Thang to bypass the accident-prone and weather-restricted Cho-Cho Kuri Pass, and the widening, strengthening and visual improvement of the Sumdo–Wanla–Neyrags road, including the construction of a tunnel at Singela.
The public-interest proposals were formally placed before Harpal Singh, Director General, BRO, during a high-level meeting in New Delhi, with the delegation underlining that uninterrupted and safer road access is no longer merely a development requirement but a necessity for healthcare access, emergency response, student mobility and dependable supply lines for vulnerable settlements across Ladakh.
Adv. Gyalson met the BRO chief along with Karma Namdak, former Councillor from Korzok, and Tashi Dorjey Neyrags, Vice President of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sham, to take up a wider set of road and tunnel proposals linked to both civilian needs and strategic movement.
At the outset, Adv. Gyalson conveyed appreciation to the Border Roads Organisation for executing several major infrastructure works in Ladakh over the past six years after the region attained Union Territory status. He said that road construction in forward and remote areas has gathered sustained momentum through the efforts of BRO field formations.
He also referred to major corridors such as the Nimmu–Padam–Darcha road, the Chushul–Dungti–Fukche–Demchok road, the Lunkung–Pangong road, the Drass–Leh road and the Leh–Nubra road, stating that these routes have brought measurable improvement in access, travel safety and day-to-day movement for both local communities and security agencies.
During the meeting, the delegation further sought the widening, strengthening and aesthetic improvement of the Sumdo–Wanla–Neyrags road with a tunnel at Singela, the takeover by BRO of the Yulchung Junction to Lingshed Dho road under its priority works, and the construction of an alternative connectivity from Yulchung to Neyrags Junction through Yulchung Thang to bypass the difficult Cho-Cho Kuri Pass. The delegation also pressed for the construction of the Korzok–Norboo Sumdho to Spiti road, which had earlier been dropped under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, a mini tunnel to remove the persistent bottleneck near Gupuks at Spituk on the Leh–Srinagar National Highway, improvement and strengthening of the Agham to Kharu road via Warila, and improvement and strengthening of the Kalsar and Sasoma stretch leading up to the Siachen Base Camp road.
Adv. Gyalson requested the Director General, BRO, to review the submissions and extend favourable consideration in view of Ladakh’s public infrastructure needs and strategic requirements.
According to the delegation, the BRO chief assured that all proposals would be examined in detail and that necessary steps would be initiated on priority.
