China’s Pangong Tso bridge, capable of carrying tanks, completed in Eastern Ladakh
- In Reports
- 11:23 AM, Jul 23, 2024
- Myind Staff
This month, China has completed the construction of a bridge in its territory overlooking Pangong Tso in Eastern Ladakh, facilitating easier troop movement. Recent satellite images reveal that the blacktopping of the bridge has been finalised this month.
ThePrint was the first to report in January 2022 that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was constructing a bridge over Pangong Tso in its territory at Khurnak, the narrowest part of the lake.
It was later revealed that the structure was being used as a service bridge for the construction of the main bridge, work on which was started.
Publishing the latest images, satellite imagery expert Damien Symon, known by the ‘X’ handle _Detresfa, noted that the bridge connecting the north and south banks of Pangong Lake shows signs of nearing completion and may be ready for use soon.
The bridge enhances the mobility of Chinese forces and reduces the time required to launch rapid operations. It will enable Chinese troops and their tanks to access areas on the southern banks, such as Rezang La, where they were outmanoeuvred by Indian forces in 2020.
By cutting down a 180-km detour from Khurnak to the southern banks through Rutog County in Tibet, the bridge will also allow the Chinese to transport heavier combat equipment to the finger areas on the northern bank of Pangong Tso.
During the stand-off on the southern banks of Pangong Tso between September 2020 and mid-2021, the Chinese constructed a new road to the Moldo garrison to bypass the visibility arc of Indian soldiers and equipment positioned on advantageous heights.
Image source: X
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