Even as reports claim that China is upgrading existing routes in Doklam and will continue to do so, India too has decided not to lag behind in improving its infrastructure at the border.
It will be constructing a road on a rocky stretch near the India-China border in Vyans valley in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district. The work will begin this week, an official said.
The news about India constructing a road near the India-China border comes almost two and a half months after the Doklam standoff, which began when the Indian soldiers stopped Chinese troops from constructing a road in Doklam.
The two-month-long standoff has not discouraged China from stopping to widen its roads in Doklam and on October 9, it had said that it will continue to build roads and other infrastructure in Doklam.
Road construction to take up to four months
The road being built in Uttarakhand -- from Ghatiabagar to the Lipulekh Pass -- will take around four months to complete. According to a Hindustan Times report, Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate RK Pandey said that during this time, the route will remain closed for the movement of the armed forces except on Sundays.
Pandey also added that the natives of the 10 villages in the valley, who move down to lower altitude during winter months, were asked to descend by Sunday.
Lipulekh Pass is the last Indian post near the China border in Uttarakhand. "The track that links villages in the valley with the rest of the district, will remain closed from Monday until April 3, 2018, for the Border Road Organization to finish constructing the 6km rocky stretch of the route that will link the state to the last security post on the India-China border," Pandey was quoted as saying by HT.
Indian officials considerate of villagers
The Indian officials are quite concerned towards the residents of the valley. "Provisions for four months have been stored at Gunji in the lower reaches and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police that mans the India-Nepal border has been asked to take care of medical emergencies of the villagers," said Pandey.
The BRO and the district administration will also construct an alternative trek route for transporting essentials for villagers in the valley.
