In the past, Indian soldiers have faced severe challenges from extreme cold and harsh weather during conflicts with China and Pakistan. To address this, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has commissioned specialized insulated bunkers to provide better protection and comfort to the troops.
The new bunkers will be equipped with air-conditioning powered by solar and geo-thermal energy, sleeping quarters, and enough space for over 100 soldiers to withstand temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius.
India shares a 3,488-kilometer-long disputed border with China, with stretches in Eastern Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The country has already completed a permanent integrated building for a company-level unit, covering approximately 27,000 square feet, at the border outpost of ITBP Lukung in Leh, as a pilot project, according to a Army source in a TOI report. This building uses green features like solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, and geothermal fresh air technology to maintain an inside temperature of 22°C, despite the extreme outside temperatures of 15,000 feet above sea level.
“As there is no electricity in this high-altitude region of 15,000 ft from mean sea level, this building was designed using green features like solar thermal, solar photovoltaic and geothermal fresh air technology to raise the inside temperature to 22°C — almost a difference of 50 degrees from outside,” Rupen Patel, the CMD of Patel Engineering Ltd — the private company that took up this as a special pilot initiative for MHA said.The project, which was launched by the MHA in 2016 for ITBP jawans, was undertaken by the National Project Construction Corporation Ltd (NPCC) and awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd. The bunkers were completed in 2019.With the success of this project, the government is planning to construct similar structures along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The DRDO has designed sophisticated bunkers under “Project Dhruv” to address psychological fatigue, while plans for 3D-printed bunkers are also underway.
The Army has also developed other types of bunkers, including bulletproof, underground survival, and modular bunkers, for specific uses along the border. The government is also improving road and infrastructure along the border to support troop movements in the region.
The Army has also planned 3D-printed bunkers to provide protection to the troops along the LAC. These bunkers, the sources said can be constructed quickly and can accommodate three people. They are used for watching the borders. These bunkers, according to some reports, will be able to withstand a 100-m direct hit from an MBT like T-90. They have undergone extensive trials in the western and eastern sectors.
The recent inauguration of the Sela Tunnel on March 9 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the completion of the country’s longest transportation tunnel on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) are part of these efforts.
“With China creating an extensive network of roads and highways, including black-top roads, and railway lines along with bunkers and other advanced infrastructure along the border with India, the country too is prepared to meet any eventuality,” a defence official said.
India’s proactive approach in enhancing its border infrastructure, including roads, highways, railway lines, and advanced bunkers, reflects its readiness to respond to any potential challenges along the border with China.
(With inputs from TOI)
