A mountain pass is a path that connects the mountain range. It serves as a link between different sections of the country and neighbouring lands for various functions.
Tunnels are the pathways built to provide all-weather access to the country’s isolated and critical regions, bringing residents into the country’s mainstream.
Mentioned below are the Indian Border Road Organization’s recent achievements:
The Umling La Pass:
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has recently developed and finished the world’s highest motorable roadway at Umling La pass in Eastern Ladakh, at an elevation of 19,300 feet.
About the Route
- BRO has set a new milestone in high-altitude highway construction by building this road.
- It broke the previous record of 18,953 feet set by a road in Bolivia connected to the volcano Uturuncu.
- The strategic route developed as part of ‘Project Himank’ travels across the Umling La Peak, linking Chisumle and Demchok’s settlements.
- It will improve Ladakh’s socioeconomic situation and encourage tourism.
- The route is near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and will enable soldiers and equipment to move quickly.
Comparison of the Road:
- The road was built at a higher altitude than the Mt. Everest Base Camps, with the Southern Base Camp in Nepal at 17,598 feet and the Northern Base Camp in Tibet at 16,900 feet.
- The road was built far higher than the Siachen Glacier’s altitude, 17,700 feet.
Project Himank:
- Himank is a BRO project executed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ladakh area.
- This project began in 1985.
- Under this project, BRO is in charge of building and maintaining roads and related infrastructure, particularly the world’s highest motorable roadways.
The Zoji La Pass:
The Zojila tunnel’s operation started in 2018. Asia’s longest and most strategically located bi-directional tunnel provides all-weather access between Srinagar, Kargil, and Leh.
Here are a few facts concerning Zoji La Pass:
- Zoji La is a high-altitude pass in Ladakh’s Kargil area.
- The pass connects Leh and Srinagar and is a vital route between the Union Territories of Ladakh and Kashmir.
- Zoji la is famous as the “Blizzard Mountain Pass.”
- During the winter, the Zojila pass is blocked due to excessive snowfall, thereby preventing access from Kashmir to the Ladakh area.
Other notable mountain passes:
| Passes/Tunnels | Regions |
| Banihal Pass | Connects Kashmir valley with the greater Himalsyas |
| Fotu La Pass | Connects Leh with Kargil region of Ladakh |
| Shipki La Pass | Tibet and Himachal Pradesh are connected by this road |
| Rohtang Pass | Connects valley of Kullu with Lahaul Spiti region of H.P. |
| Khardung La | Connects Ladakh to Saichen Glacier |
| Jelep La | Connect Sikkim with Tibet |
| Nathu La | Connects Sikkim with Tibet |
| Bara-Lacha-La | Connect Lahaul region of H.P with Leh region |
| Mana Pass | Connects Uttarakhand to Tibet |
The Importance of Passes:
- Passes are typically the most convenient means for people to move over mountain ranges.
- As a result, throughout history, they have served a pivotal role in human movement, commerce, and settlement.
- Passes are ideal locations for villages or defensive outposts since they are typically the only level territory in a hilly area.
- From this point of view, a pass is simpler to defend against threats or foes.
- Passes act as a connection between communities that are segregated by mountains in several places of the world.
- The Khyber Pass, which goes over the Hindu Kush mountains and links Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been an important trading route between Central and South Asia for thousands of years.
