The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has once again shattered its own record for high-altitude construction, completing the world’s highest motorable pass at Mig La in Eastern Ladakh. The new road, at a breathtaking altitude of 19,400 feet (5,913 metres), surpasses the BRO’s previous Guinness World Record holder, Umling La Pass (19,024 feet), which was established in 2021.
The monumental feat, achieved under Project Himank, underscores India’s engineering prowess in the planet’s most challenging and oxygen-deficient terrains.
The Border Roads Organisation team reached the summit of Mig La Pass, also referred to as Migla Pass, on October 2, 2025, triumphantly hoisting the Indian National Flag.
The new road is part of the Likaru-Mig La-Fukche alignment, an ambitious project that provides a critical third axis from the Hanle region to Fukche village, which is located near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
- Altitude: 19,400 feet (5,913 metres)
- Location: Eastern Ladakh, near the Hanle region.
- Builder: Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Himank.
- Significance: It is now officially the highest motorable road in the world, surpassing Umling La.
The construction at nearly 20,000 feet is higher than both the Everest South Base Camp (17,598 ft) and the North Base Camp (16,900 ft), where oxygen levels are less than half of what they are at sea level. The challenging conditions required the BRO’s engineers and workers to brave sub-zero temperatures, unpredictable weather, and constant threats of blizzards and landslides.
The completion of the Mig La road has immense strategic and civilian benefits:
- Strategic Boost: It significantly strengthens India’s defense logistics by providing all-weather connectivity for the swift movement of troops and supplies to forward areas near the Indo-China border.
- Civilian Lifeline: The road ensures year-round access for local communities, enhancing their connectivity to essential services and boosting their livelihoods.
- Adventure Tourism: Mig La now becomes the ultimate destination for global adventure tourists, surpassing the fame of Khardung La and Umling La, and offering spectacular views of the Indus Valley and the rugged, pristine Himalayan landscape near the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.
With this new achievement, the Border Roads Organisation maintains its dominance in high-altitude road construction, now holding the record for the world’s three highest motorable passes: Mig La, Umling La, and Mana Pass (or Dungri La).
