Recently, the Defence Minister of India has kicked off the creation of a new 80-kilometer road in Uttarakhand to connect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and open up a new journey route for Kailash Mansarovar yatra via Lipulekh Pass at the China border. Set to be completed by December 2022, this road will significantly cut down the travel time for pilgrims.
The Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route
The newly initiated road is known as the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route. Under it, the Border Roads Organization (BRO) has achieved road connectivity from Dharchula (located in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) to Lipulekh.
Lipulekh Pass
Also known by several names such as Lipu-Lekh Pass/Qiangla or Tri-Corner, the Lipulekh Pass is a high altitude mountain pass. It is situated in the western Himalayas with an impressive height of 5,334 meters or 17,500 feet. Acting as an international mountain pass, it connects India, China, and Nepal.
Road Construction and Challenges
The development of this road project came under the guidance of the China Study Group (CSG). With financial support from the Indo-China Border Road (ICBR), it got approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in 2005. However, due to a temporary ban placed on last-mile connectivity in 2016 by the Director General Military Operations, the final 5 kilometers of the road are yet to be completed.
Route Advantages
This new route is the shortest and most economical, only requiring one-fifth of the distance for road travel compared to other older routes. The traditional route is via Sikkim. Remarkably, this new route does not require air travel, and majority of the journey (84%) is within India while only 16% of the road travel is in China. This is in stark contrast to other routes where 80% of the road travel occurs in China. Besides a 5-kilometer trek, the entire journey will be vehicle-based, thus reducing a 5-day trek to 2-days by road.
Kailash Mansarovar
For Hindus, Kailash Mansarovar symbolizes the earthly embodiment of the dominant mountain of heaven, Meru. It is also revered as the home of Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati. Resting in the Chinese-occupied Tibet, the Kailash range’s highest peak stands tall at a height of 6,675 meters.
The pilgrimage to Kailash and the sacred Mansarover lake that lies 30 kilometers to its south is organized solely by a government agency, the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN). Operated in partnership with the Government of India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Government of China, the pilgrimage to this sacred site now becomes more accessible with the new Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra Route.
