The new tunnel under 16,703 feet Shinkun La will allow all-weather connectivity to Ladakh from Himachal Pradesh via Manali-Darcha axis and allow faster deployment of Indian troops to tackle any flare up in Kargil-Siachen sector with Pakistan or with PLA in East Ladakh.
In a significant step that will steel defence of Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today cleared a 4.1 kilometer tunnel under Shinkun La on Manali-Darcha-Padam-Nimu axis to allow all weather connectivity to the Union Territory and cater to continuous supply of troops and equipment in the worst case scenario with either of the two adversaries.
The decision to clear the tunnel under Shinkun L:a makes strategic sense as to achieve all weather connectivity on Manali-Upshi-Leh highway, the government would have to construct some 38 kilometers of tunnels under Baralacha La, Lachulung La and Taglang La, all passes touching heights of over 16000 feet which remained snowed in for at least five months a year.
Although the Defence Ministry gave the proposal to build a tunnel under Shinkun La to the Ministry of Highways and Road Transport in 2017 itself, the department was in favour of a 13 kilometer tunnel under Shinkun La, which would link it with the existing Darcha-Upshi-Leh highway. Given the terrain and the inclement sub-arctic temperatures the proposal hung fire till it was handed over to BRO in 2020 after the Chinese transgressions.
The step is very significant as Nimu in Ladakh is close to Kargil as well as Leh, the headquarters of the UT. This means that the Indian Army can do faster deployment of forces and equipment if a situation flares up in Kargil-Siachen sector or in East Ladakh sector all along the 1597 km LAC in the UT.