New Delhi: China is building a second bridge over the territory it occupies in Pangong Tso, capable of carrying armored columns, ThePrint has learned. The development comes as the Ladakh standoff between India and China enters its third year.
Sources in the defense and security establishment said the first bridge – whose construction began in late 2021 and ended last month – is being used as a service bridge for the construction of the second.
“First the bridge is being used by the Chinese to deploy their cranes and bring in other construction equipment. The new bridge right next to it is bigger and wider than the one they completed in April this year.”
When the construction of the new bridge was witnessed less than three weeks ago, the source said, “the whole game plan of the Chinese was understood”.
The new bridge is being built simultaneously from both the sides.
On January 3, ThePrint informed of That the Chinese were building a bridge in the Pangong Tso area they occupied.
At the time, sources had said that the bridge was being built with pre-fabricated structures to counter any August 2020-like operation by the Indian Army, which led to the capture of India dominating heights On the southern bank of Pangong Tso.
Sources had said that the purpose of this bridge was to cut a 180-km loop from Khurnak to the south bank via Rudok. This would mean that the route from Khurnak to Rudok would be reduced by 40-50 km.
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‘Multiple routes to counter potential Indian operations’
The 135-km-long Pangong Tso, a landlocked lake that is partly in the Ladakh region and partly in Tibet, has seen tensions between India and China since May 2020.
“Earlier the bridge could carry only soldiers and light vehicles. The new one is really big and wide in size. This means that they are increasingly looking at inducting not only soldiers and vehicles but also armored columns,” said the source above, explaining why the new construction is important.
As informed of Last month, China completed construction of the first bridge and is now building roads to connect it to one of its largest military garrisons in the region, according to satellite images.
The bridges are part of a series of military infrastructure that the Chinese are building in eastern Ladakh.
While the India-China standoff on the southern bank of Pangong Tso continued, the Chinese, between September 2020 and mid-2021, built a new road to their Moldo garrison, bypassing the visibility arc of Indian troops and equipment on top . Beneficial heights.
Sources said that, with the new construction, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aims to build multiple routes to counter any possible operation by Indian forces on the southern bank of Pangong Tso in future.
Even as Chinese build-up continues, government sources have said India does not expect to fight China again at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, they have clarify That if Beijing tries to restart tensions, New Delhi will offer a “muscle response” without worrying about the consequences.
(Edited by Polomi Banerjee)
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