People's Liberation Army (PLA) is constructing a road, says intelligence reports. People's Liberation Army also intruded into Ladakh on February 9. Defence Minister confirmed to the Lok Sabha on the Chinese construction of helipads

by Jitendra Bahadur Singh

Doklam could witness another stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops after the 73-day face-off last year.

According to an intelligence report seen by India Today, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is constructing a road, 4 km east of the point where Indian and Chinese troops came face to face in 2017.

The PLA has also constructed three helipads near the 9-10-metre-wide road in Chumbi Valley, which lies in the Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Besides, Chinese soldiers have been deployed 200-300 metres from the stand-off point and have spread to Batang La, Merug La and Sinche La Ridge, according to the intelligence report.

In north Doklam, China has set up more than 400 four-men and 40 two-men tents, 60 pre-fabricated shelters, 110 bunkers and deployed 20 bulldozers. Besides, the PLA has dug 60 communication trenches and set up 10 mobile towers to give 24X7 information to the headquarters.

The PLA also intruded into Ladakh on February 9, when two of its helicopters entered via Charding-Ninglung Nallah Track Junction and recced for around 30 minutes, according to sources.

On February 10, a Chinese patrol party intruded 19 km into Depsang Plains, located at the Line of Actual Control, but was forced to return after Indian soldiers confronted it. On February 3 and 8, Chinese troops intruded 7 km into the strategic Trigonometric Heights in Ladakh.

The PLA also intruded 250 metre into Arunachal Pradesh via Dichu on February 12. The soldiers returned after face-off with Indian troops.

In Tibet, China has deployed soldiers, installed heavy equipment and constructed 130 temporary shelters in the Gyantse military camp, which is near to Sikkim.

Beijing has also deployed the 54th Mechanised Infantry Brigade, two artillery battalions and one air defence battalion in Lhasa. In Tibets Khamba Dzong area, which is 24 km from India, the PLA has set up 140 tents and 90-96 camouflaged tents, one artillery unit and 40-50 vehicle equipment units.

Besides, China has installed one DF-31 missile brigade in Datong county and deployed 8 Xian JH-7 fighter-bombers and six Shenyang J-11s at the Kashi Airport.

The PLA has also installed HQ-9 and HQ-12 SAM System Battery Radars, which were tested in Tibet last year during military drills, at the airport.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman confirmed to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday the Chinese construction of helipads.
Post disengagement from the face-off in 2017, troops of both sides have redeployed themselves away from their respective positions at the face-off site. The strength of both sides have been reduced. In order to maintain these troops during the winter, the Peoples Liberation Army has undertaken construction of some infrastructure, including sentry posts, trenches and helipads. - Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
"India should be worried. The Defence Minister has confirmed it. Bhutan is dependent on India. China wants to see our reaction," Subramanian Swamy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Rajya Sabha, told India Today.

Renuka Chowdhury, Congress member of Rajya Sabha, slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the situation saying, "He [Modi] claimed that if Pakistan kills one Indian soldier, we will behead 100 of their soldiers. Neither Nepal nor Sri Lanka are our friends. Is the government aware of the situation? Modi should speak less and work more."

She also said that when the BJP government questions the Congress achievements, it should realise that the Congress has protected Indian borders.

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