Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman after inaugurating the Pratham-Shyok bridge in Leh on Saturday.

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 30

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today inaugurated a strategically important bridge on a road to China border that will help the Army in better manoeuverability and communication in case of exigency.The minister, who concluded her two-day visit to the state today, also visited the world’s highest battlefield, Siachen base camp, and reviewed the security situation in the area.The Pratham-Shyok bridge on the Indo-China border in Leh will connect the region to Karakoram in north-eastern Ladakh thus providing vital connectivity on the axis of Road Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie for military use. The Chinese army had carried out two major incursions in the area in 2013 and 2014 and the sector remains strategically important for the Army.An officer of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said the construction of the bridge on the 255-km-long road was a part of a major road project, envisaging construction of seven major bridges on which the work was already in progress. The deadline for the completion of these bridges is 2020. These will give further boost to the Army in transporting heavy equipment to the Line of Actual Control.While addressing BRO officers and jawans, Sitharaman said the construction of bridges and roads at a high-altitude terrain was a miracle.“This state-of-the-art bridge will connect people of the region as well as increase travel and communication for strategic transport,” the minister said.Complimenting Army jawans, the Defence Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government were for fully supporting jawans who protect the nation in all circumstances.She met Army commanders, who extensively briefed her about the strategic locations and the continuous vigil by the soldiers to protect the nation.