New Delhi: Amid long-standing tensions which refuse to die down, China has completed the construction of a 400-metre bridge near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
NDTV has accessed satellite images from July 22 which reveal that the bridge is now black-topped, with light motor vehicles plying across it.
High-resolution images of the under-construction bridge were first published on ndtv.com in January 2022.
The bridge, which lies in territory held by China since 1958, gives Chinese forces the scope to speedily move troops between North and South bank of Pangong Lake, reported NDTV.com.
“The new bridge over Pangong Lake grants Chinese forces a direct, shorter route for rapid troop deployment. Previously, the People’s Liberation Army had to navigate the lake’s entire eastern section to reach conflict zones, a lengthy detour that hampered their response time in an active conflict zone,” said Damien Symon, a satellite imagery expert and researcher with The Intel Lab.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) referred to its previous statement when NDTV sought its reaction on the latest development.
“This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation,” MEA reiterated.
The latest images show road access linking the new bridge to an existing road network on North bank of Pangong leading to Khurnak Fort, an ancient Tibetan structure.
Mumbai: In his illustrious career, which is still going strong at the age of 81, Amitabh…
Berhampur: Police have arrested a youth for allegedly impregnating a minor girl on false promise…
Bhubaneswar: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will soon commence high-tech 'Ambaari Utsav' bus…
New Delhi: A category 1 storm hit the Shanghai region Monday, causing significant damage. Typhoon Bebinca…
New Delhi: Monday brought the news of yet another derailment on Indian rail tracks. Three…
Bhubaneswar: In a major move to enhance railway infrastructure in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi…
Bhubaneswar: In a bid to set an example for others, Excise officials destroyed a huge…
Hyderabad: Amid the renewed #MeToo wave in the southern film industry, another serious charge of…