India is constructing a 130-kilometer alternative road to the strategically vital Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) military outpost in eastern Ladakh, expected to be fully operational by October-November 2026.

This new route originates from Sasoma in the Nubra Valley, passing through Saser La, Saser Brangsa, Gapshan, and finally reaching DBO.

The alternative road is significant because it bypasses the existing 255-kilometer Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road, which runs close and parallel to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), making Indian Army movements easily visible and monitored by China.

In contrast, the new road stretches away from the LAC, offering enhanced operational security by keeping troop and logistics movements out of China's prying eyes.

Key advantages of the new road include:

Reduced Distance And Travel Time: It shortens the distance between Leh and DBO by 79 kilometers, cutting the travel time from approximately two days to just 11 to 12 hours.

Improved Load Capacity: Bridges on the new route have been upgraded from 40-tonne to 70-tonne capacity, enabling the movement of heavier military vehicles and artillery such as Bofors guns, which have already been successfully transported on completed stretches for load testing.

All-Weather Connectivity Plans: There is a planned seven-kilometre tunnel under Saser La Pass, located at 17,660 feet altitude, to ensure year-round access despite harsh weather conditions.

Strategically, the DBO outpost, sitting at 16,614 feet and hosting the world's highest airstrip, overlooks the Karakoram Pass and is located very close to the LAC and Chinese-occupied Aksai Chin region. The alternative road will enhance

India's ability to quickly mobilize troops, weapons, and logistics to this sensitive frontier area, a crucial advantage amid ongoing border tensions and repeated military stand-offs with China, especially post the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.

The construction is being executed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), with ‘Project Vijayak’ handling the Sasoma to Saser Brangsa stretch and ‘Project Himank’ responsible for the extension to DBO. Around 60-70% of the eastern section towards Murgo and Gapshan is already complete, and connectivity work, including black-topping from Sasoma to Saser Brangsa, is finished. The estimated project cost is about ₹500 crore.

This new road is a strategic infrastructure achievement that significantly improves Indian military mobility and operational security in eastern Ladakh, crucial for countering surveillance and pressure from the Chinese PLA along the highly contested Line of Actual Control.

Based On ET News Report