Siachen now open to tourists: Govt
LEH-LADAKH: Government on Monday announced its decision to open the Siachen area, the world’s highest battlefield, to tourists.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the government has decided to open the entire area from Siachen base camp to Kumar Post for tourism purposes.
The step has been taken to give people a window to appreciate the tough work done by Army jawans and engineers in extreme weather and inhospitable terrains, he said.
Singh was addressing a function in eastern Ladakh to inaugurate Col Chewang Rinchin Bridge on Shyok River, located about 45 km from the county’s border with China.
“The Ladakh MP in his address mentioned about opening this area to tourism. And, I am happy to share that the government has decided to open a route from Siachen Base Camp to Kumar Post for tourists,” the minister said.
“T`his step will make them appreciate the efforts put in by jawans, engineers and other workers,” he said.
Singh later tweeted, “The Siachen area is now open for tourists and Tourism. From Siachen Base to Kumar Post, the entire area has been opened for Tourism purposes”.
At the bridge inauguration, he said, only steel and concrete have not gone into it’s making, but “sweat and valour” of the engineers and workers of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) too.
They have toiled hard, and people should know their stories, Singh said.
The 1400-ft long bridge is the highest altitude permanent bridge that will connect Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldi and reduce travel time by about half.
LEH/SRINAGAR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the armed forces will keep giving befitting reply to Pakistan until it stops infiltration over which Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik also warned that the army will go deep inside and destroy terrorist camps.
The assertions by Singh and Malik came a day after Army chief General Bipin Rawat said that 6 to 10 Pakistan Army personnel were killed and three terror camps destroyed in retaliatory action by the Indian Army across the Line of Control(loc) opposite the Tangdhar and Keran sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
Singh was speaking at a function in Leh for the inauguration of the 1,400-ft Col Chewang Rinchen bridge in eastern Ladakh over Shyok River, the highest-altitude permanent bridge in the country.
In his address, he also asserted that after abrogation of sections of Article 370 and Article 35A, the Ladakh region will now only "draw friends" and "leave no scope for enemies".
"However, our neighbour Pakistan... Our armed forces have never been offensive on the Pakistani side. We have never done the first firing," Singh said. "But, by supporting terror activities attempts have been made from the other side to destabilise, weaken and compromise the integrity of India," he added.
And, Indian armed forces have given a "befitting reply" to them, he said. Singh said, "If they do not stop infiltration, our armed forces will keep giving befitting reply until they (Pakistan) stop such activities."
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar, Governor Malik said if Pakistan does not end terror activities directed against India, the Army will go deep inside and destroy terrorist camps.
"Pakistan will have to behave and stop these terror camps. If it does not behave, we will go deep inside and destroy these camps," he said.