Ladakh is the northern part of India with beautiful topography. But weather changes can lead to a lack of connectivity for this region. However, there is one mountainous pass between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh — the Shinku-La pass (also known as Shingo-La). Though this pass is considered the only entry point for Lugnak Valley in Zanskar, it is covered in snow all year round, except for summers. To tackle this situation, the government has approved the proposal to build a tunnel. Here is everything you need to know about the Shinku-La Tunnel.
About The Shinku-La Tunnel
The Union Cabinet Committee had approved the construction of a tunnel on the Shinku-La pass. This committee was headed by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The purpose of building this tunnel is to ensure all-weather connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh and its bordering areas. It will be constructed on the Nimu-Padam-Darcha road link, and its length will be 4.1 kilometres.
This tunnel is a part of Project Yojak and is being implemented by the Border Road Organisation (BRO). According to Union Minister Anurag Thakur, this project is important to ensure the safety and security of the country and to ease the movement of security forces.
Importance Of This Tunnel
One of the most significant advantages of this tunnel is that it will reduce the time taken to travel between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. Secondly, it will help in the economic growth of Zanskar Valley. And this tunnel will provide an all-year-round pass to this valley. Currently, to visit Zanskar valley, you need to travel through Manali-Leh road and then take Darcha road. But after the construction of this tunnel, you can directly travel to Darcha via Padam. Moreover, better transportation facilities promote growth and development.
The entire cost of this project is around ₹1,680 crores and it will be completed by December 2025.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia