Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, July 26
Work on the strategic Shinkhun La Tunnel, the world's highest, in Ladakh commenced on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The development work began with the first explosion when PM Modi visited the key site after addressing the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Kargil.
The tunnel between Manali and Leh along the Nimu Padam Darcha road will be built by the Border Roads Organisation at a height of 4,800 metre.
It will be the world's highest tunnel and a major strategic push to the BJP government's border area development plans in the wake of ongoing tensions with China along the LAC.
The 7.1-km-long tunnel will bypass the area which remains covered under 15-20 feet of ice for around five months hampering connectivity.
The twin tube tunnel with cross passages at every 500 metre will be an all-weather tunnel which will reduce the travel time across the Shinkun area to 30 minutes and will boost social and economic development of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh.