BRO takes on one of its toughest challenges: 32-km strategic road at 16,000 feet near China border

The Narendra Modi government is pressing ahead with a high-altitude border infrastructure project aimed at strengthening India’s forward connectivity near the China border in Uttarakhand.

At the centre of the plan is a 32-kilometre strategic road — to be built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) — from Nilapani to Muling La, taking road access close to the India–Tibet border, CNN-News18 has reported. It is being dubbed as one of the most challenging projects for the BRO.

The proposed road is designed to replace a rudimentary dirt track and trekking route with an all-weather link capable of supporting sustained troop movement, bolstering India's readiness near the China border.

According to documents accessed by CNN-News18, the BRO has formally sought consultancy services for planning and execution, signalling that the project has moved beyond the conceptual stage. The road is estimated to cost around Rs 104 crore.

Courtesy: News18

Muling La is a seasonal high-altitude mountain pass located at about 16,134 feet, connecting Uttarakhand with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China.

Historically, it functioned as a trans-Himalayan corridor used by traders, shepherds and border patrols before the frontier was formally demarcated.

Following the 1962 India-China war, the region remained logistically neglected for decades due to extreme terrain and India’s earlier defensive doctrine that avoided building roads close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Currently, access to the Muling La base involves a five-day trek.

Troops, rations, fuel and equipment are carried by porters or pack animals, while heavy snowfall during winter often cuts off the route entirely, the report said.

The Nilapani–Muling La road is expected to reduce deployment and reinforcement time from days to hours. It will allow vehicular movement, support a sustained forward presence and reduce reliance on costly and weather-dependent air logistics.

The push is part of India’s broader infrastructure build-up since the 2020 eastern Ladakh standoff with China.

Moreover, Uttarakhand, despite its strategic importance, has lagged behind Ladakh in last-mile military connectivity.

Meanwhile, BRO engineers are preparing for some of the toughest construction conditions in the Himalayas. The consultancy sought by the agency focuses on terrain assessment, avalanche mitigation, slope stabilisation and sustainable construction.