The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has shown speed by inviting bids for the project on Thursday. This comes just one week after the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to the important Shinkun La tunnel that will link Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. According to the estimates provided by the BRO, the total cost of the project would be 1,504 crore rupees, and it is expected to be finished within four years.
This strategic project will consist of uni-directional two-lane twin tunnels that are 4.1 kilometres in length (for a total length of 8.2 kilometres), in addition to cross passages that are 400 metres in length and an approach road that is nearly 2.4 kilometres in length.
These elements will collectively provide an all-weather road that crosses Shinkun La. On the Darcha-Padam route, it will provide a connection between National Highway 03 and Zanskar Valley (NH-301). A little settlement known as Darcha can be found on the Manali-Leh route about 25 kilometres away from Keylong, the administrative centre of the Lahul and Spiti region. In the Ladakhi region of Zanskar, Padam serves as the district headquarters.
The project is extremely important because it will enable year-round access to the UT of Ladakh, which will facilitate the transfer of troops, weaponry, and ammunition at a time when tensions with China have been rising steadily since the year 2020. The Shinkun La tunnel will be the fastest and most direct route to reach the Ladakhi border regions. According to a report that was published by the Hindustan Times a week ago, this road is extremely important because, in contrast to the Manali-Leh highway near the LOC and the Srinagar-Kargil highway near the LAC, it is protected from long-range artillery and missile fire by both China and Pakistan.
