NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “virtually” initiate the first blast for the construction of the strategically important Shinkun La tunnel on Friday, aimed at providing all-weather connectivity and faster troop movement to Ladakh.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building the 4.1 km twin-tube tunnel at an altitude of 15,800 feet, beneath the challenging Shinkun Pass on the Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road, with an estimated cost of ₹1,681 crore. The project received approval from the PM-led cabinet committee on security in February last year.
Despite the tough weather and terrain, tunnel construction along India’s northern borders with China remains a priority, especially with the military standoff in Ladakh now in its fifth year. The Sela tunnel, located over 13,000 feet on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang road in Arunachal Pradesh, was completed for ₹825 crore and inaugurated in March. Tunnels also serve for the underground storage of ammunition, missiles, fuel, and other critical supplies. “Several more tunnels are either under construction or being planned,” a senior officer noted.
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The Shinkun La tunnel, which will have cross-passages every 500 metres, will take at least two years to be completed. “It will then be the highest such tunnel in the world, bypassing the Mi La tunnel in China at 15,590-feet. It will not only ensure swift and efficient movement of troops and heavy weapon systems but also foster economic and social development in Ladakh,” he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and top military officials, will virtually inaugurate the ground-breaking ceremony for the Shinkun La tunnel during his visit to the Kargil War Memorial in Drass. The event marks the 25th anniversary of the Kargil conflict with Pakistan, in which 527 Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives and 1,363 were injured while overcoming significant challenges to drive out entrenched Pakistani intruders from the high-altitude terrain.
The construction of the Shinkun La tunnel comes after the BRO in March established “connectivity” on the 298-km Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road in Ladakh, which will be the third axis to the strategically-important region. “The Shinkun Pass remains snow-bound for around five months every year thus cutting off this route. The tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity,” another officer said.
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