To mark 75 years of Independence, BRO to hoist Tricolour at 75 highest passes

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 9

To commemorate 75 years of Independence, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will unfurl the National Flag at 75 highest passes in India on August 15, besides undertaking several other activities.

The Himalayan range that spreads across India’s northern frontier has the highest passes and motorable roads in the world, the highest being the Kalindi Pass in Uttarakhand at an altitude of 19,521 feet.

Earlier this month, the BRO completed the black-topping of the world’s highest motorable roads that passes over the 19,300-foot-high Umling La Pass in south-easten Ladakh connecting the town of Demchok in the vicinity of the Line of Actual Control.

The mountain passes and roads are of immense strategic importance and some of them are approachable only on foot or horseback, though the Indian Army has successfully driven tanks over a few of them. Many of the passes that lie close to the border with China are off limits to civilian visitors.

Till Umling La was opened to vehicles, the 17,582-foot-high Khardung La in Ladakh, also a popular tourist destination, was said to be the highest motorable pass in the world. Other passes that lie above 18,000 feet include Gyong La (Siachen, Muling la (Uttarakhand), Sia La (Siachen), Marsimik La (Ladakh), Mana Pass and Sin La (both in Uttarakhand).

Maintaining passes and roads and tracks in the vicinity of the border is the responsibility of the BRO that was established in May 1960. Functioning under the Ministry of Defence, its operations spread across 19 states and three union territories as well as neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Tajikistan and Sri Lanka.

Besides those in the Himalayas, many of which are well known and popular with tourists and adventurers, there are other passes in the country that lie at much lower elevations, including those in the Western Ghats and Nilgiris in peninsular India.

Other activities by the BRO in various parts of the country to commemorate the Independence Day this year include 75 medical camps, plantation drives at 75 locations and 75 school samvad to motivate children through interactions and lectures.

In addition, gallantry award recipients and war heroes are also being felicitated, a defence spokesperson said. Two such events were organised in Uttarakhand and Sikkim earlier this week.