PM Modi has agreed on the construction of Shinkun La Tunnel Ladakh. Under this important step to strengthen the security of Ladakh, the Shinkun La tunnel will be built on the Manali-Darcha-Padam-Nimu axis. The 4.1 kilometer tunnel was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. After this decision, all-weather connectivity will be allowed in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Modi steps up Ladakh defence
According to the report about Ladakh’s Shinkun La Tunnel, after the tunnel is ready, there will be a continuous supply of necessary equipment and logistics for the soldiers. In the opinion of defense experts, the construction of this tunnel is also very important from the point of view of giving a befitting reply to the nefarious designs of India’s two rivals – China and Pakistan. Even in the worst case, goods can be supplied to the army.
Defence Ministry gave the proposal to build a tunnel under Shinkun La
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) had built a black top road on the Darcha-Padam-Nimu axis in 2019, but the road could not be used during the winter months due to heavy snow on the 16703 feet high Shinkun La. In the opinion of defense experts, the road near the LoC is important for the defense of Ladakh because unlike the Srinagar-Drass-Kaksar-Kargil highway and the Manali-Upshi-Leh highway near the LAC, this road is vulnerable to long-range artillery or artillery fire along the Pakistani and Chinese borders. Missiles are protected from firing. This was the Darcha-Padam-Nimu route. It was used by the Indian Army to transport arms and ammunition supplies to eastern Ladakh in May 2020 following the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) skirmish of China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The decision to construct the Shinkun La tunnel is strategically important as the Manali-Upshi-Leh highway will have all-weather connectivity. The government will have to construct about 38 kilometers of tunnels under Baralacha La, Lachulung La and Taglang La. This place is at an altitude of more than 16000 feet, where there is snow for at least five months in a year.
According to a report, about six years ago in 2017, the Ministry of Defense had sent the proposal to build the Shinkun La tunnel to the Ministry of Highways and Road Transport. However, the department was in favor of building a 13 km long tunnel near Shinkun La. With this, the existing Darcha-Upshi-Leh highway can be connected. Given the terrain and harsh sub-arctic temperatures, the proposal was shelved until it was handed over to the Border Roads Organization (BRO) in 2020 following the Chinese transgression.
In Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the construction of the tunnel and the approach road on both sides. The total cost of the project will be Rs 1681.51 crore and will be completed by December 2025. Since the BRO has already done the road cutting and black topping work on both sides of Shinkun La, the government will now have to construct only 4.1 km of underground passage (tunnel).
Due to the presence of Chinese forces after the border of Ladakh, the step of construction of Shinkun La Tunnel Ladakh is very important from the point of view of defense. This is because along with Nimu Kargil in Ladakh, the headquarters of the union territory is also close to Leh. This means that it will help the Indian Army to deal with any challenging situation if near the 1597 km Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Union Territory in the Kargil-Siachen sector or the Eastern Ladakh sector. Once the tunnel is ready, state-of-the-art equipment can be deployed rapidly.
Keep watching our YouTube Channel ‘DNP INDIA’. Also, please subscribe and follow us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and TWITTER
