By the unparalleled efforts of the Border Road Organization (BRO), India can now boast of having the world’s highest motorable road. The road construction agency, which maintains roads in some of the most desolate areas on India’s northern border, accomplished this feat earlier this week.
The Umlingla Pass in eastern Ladakh is where BRO built a 52-kilometer-long motorable road. This new road now connects the main towns of the Chumar region in eastern Ladakh.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said: “This will prove to be a boon for local residents, as it provides an alternative direct route from Leh to connect Chisumle and Demchok. It will improve the socio-economic status and promote tourism in Ladakh.”
Compared with the famous Khardung La Pass, Umling La Pass is more challenging for drivers. According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the temperature at this pass can drop to -40 degrees Celsius during the winter season. In addition, the oxygen content at this altitude is about 50% lower than normal, making it difficult for anyone to stay here for a long time. The Umling La Pass broke the previous record of 18,953 feet in Bolivia, which connected to a volcano called Uturuncu.
