Rajnath Singh inaugurates Kailash Mansarovar road link through VC

NEW DELHI/ PITHORAGARH: An 80-km strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass at a height of 17,000 feet along the border with China in Uttarakhand with Dharchula was thrown open by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday.

The new road is expected to help pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet as it is around 90 kms from the Lipulekh pass.

After inaugurating the road through video-conferencing, Singh said pilgrims going to Kailash Mansarovar will now be able to complete their journey in one week instead of up to three weeks.

The road originates at Ghatiabagarh and ends at Lipulekh pass, the gateway to Kailash-mansarovar.

"With the completion of this crucial road link, the decades old dreams and aspirations of the local people and pilgrims have been fulfilled," the defence minister said.

He also expressed confidence that local trade and economic growth in the region would receive a boost with the operationalisation of the road.

Military officials said the road will also help in speedy movement of troops in the strategically key region bordering China.

Singh flagged off a caravan of nine vehicles from Pithoragarh to Gunji to mark the opening of the road.

The caravan included four small vehicles and some loaded vehicles of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indo-tibetan Border Police, Chief Engineer of Project Hirak, Vimalgoswami, said.

"After commissioning of the road, the Kailash-mansarovaryatra from Lipulekh pass has become more convenient for pilgrims who can now return to India in one day after having the sacred darshan," he said.