Taming the Shyok and The Galwan War - Geological Perspective - Ritesh Arya
**Taming the Shyok and the Galwan Conflict**
**Dr. Ritesh Arya, Tethys Fossil Museum, Dangyari, Himachal Pradesh**
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The Shyok River, often referred to as the "sorrow of Ladakh," originates from the Rimo Glacier in the Hindukush Himalayan range and flows along the Karakoram range before merging with the Indus River. Historically, its path aligns with the ancient Silk Route, which traders from Central Asia traversed to cross the Hindukush range, enter Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), camp near two paleolakes, and proceed through the Debsing plains, crossing the boulder conglomerate horizon at Kazi Langer into the Burtse marine sequence. The route passed through Chungtash and rejoined the Shyok near today’s 150 km mark. The Galwan area, at the 120 km mark, lies 120 km from Shyok village near Durbuk—the last inhabited settlement on the Shyok River.
During winter, the Shyok remains frozen, allowing safe passage on foot. However, by May, the snow begins to melt, and by July, the Rimo Glacier’s meltwater makes the river treacherous and virtually impassable. Traditionally, movement along the Shyok route to DBO was possible only until mid-June, before the full glacier melt, necessitating the timely delivery of supplies or resorting to aerial drops afterward.
In 2013, I was requested by the then Commanding Officer of the Engineers Regiment to explore groundwater potential at the 120 km mark (Mangal Thang, now known as Galwan) and Chungtash. At that time, the 120 km stretch from Shyok village ran entirely along the riverbed, making the journey a full-day affair (now reduced to 4-5 hours). After investigating groundwater prospects at the 120 km point, we continued onward. Upon reaching the only bailey bridge at the 150 km mark, we discovered it had been completely washed away by the Shyok’s unpredictable and powerful flow. Despite the challenge, we managed to cross the Shyok by driving through its current. The engineers, anticipating this issue, were searching for an alternative site. Although bridge design was not my specialty, I observed that the rocks on both banks were volcanic in origin.
Drawing from my experience in groundwater drilling and extraction for the army, I wondered if similar drilling techniques could be employed to stabilize the Shyok. I suggested that drilling and micropiling might provide a permanent solution. The Engineer Officer of the Engineers Regiment expressed interest in this idea.
After completing groundwater investigations, we returned to Leh, where the project was handed over to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). I was advised to discuss the concept with Project Officer of Himank (a BRO unit), who directed me to the BRO headquarters in Delhi. During discussions, I proposed that, considering the geology, geomorphology, and flow characteristics of the Shyok, micropiling would be the most effective solution. After thorough deliberations, the concept was approved.
The project, however, took nearly 5-6 years to complete due to multiple objections from the Chinese side. Nevertheless, the Indian government persisted, and in October 2019, the Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) Bridge, now named the Col. Chewang Rinchen Sethu, was constructed in a record less then 18 months by BRO and was inaugurated by Defence Minister.
The successful taming of the Shyok has now enabled all-weather access between Durbuk and DBO, reducing travel time to 8-10 hours. This strategic development caught the Chinese by surprise, leading to increased tensions and ultimately culminating in the Galwan conflict across the 120 km stretch in 2020. Today, this is India’s high-altitude, all-weather permanent bridge, located nearly 45 km from the country’s border with Chinese-occupied Tibet.
This year, I was assigned a project to explore groundwater in Durbuk and Qazi Langer, but the floods rendered the roads and bridges impassable. However, I was glad to see that no damage occurred to the DSDBO bridge. Given the recent floods in the Shyok River, which have caused extensive damage to roads and traditional bridges built using conventional methods, there is an urgent need for a policy shift. Incorporating the proven methodology of using piling for future bridge construction is essential to mitigate the disasters caused by the unpredictable flow of the Shyok and ensure more sustainable infrastructure.
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