The Union Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval for the construction of the 4.1 km long Shinkun La tunnel on the Nimu-Padam-Darcha Road link, which will provide all-weather connectivity to the border areas of Ladakh. The tunnel is expected to be completed by December 2025, with a total cost of Rs 1,681 crore.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to Union Minister Anurag Thakur, the tunnel will be the shortest route to the border areas of the Union territory from other parts of the country and will provide all-weather road connectivity to Ladakh.
Thakur added that the project is important for the security and safety of the country, and will also facilitate the movement of security forces in the region. The construction of the Shinkun La tunnel will help connect the Ladakh area, particularly Zanskar Valley, with the entire country.
This move is considered significant from a security perspective as Nimu in Ladakh is close to Kargil and Leh, and will allow for faster deployment of forces and equipment in the area in case of a tense situation in the eastern Ladakh sector with China. The Atal tunnel and Zojila tunnel on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh national highway are two other tunnels that provide all-weather connectivity throughout the year, with the latter to be inaugurated soon.
Thakur also said that roads and other infrastructure will be strengthened in 2,966 villages of 19 districts of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This scheme will be different from the Border Area Development Programme. The minister said that the entire cost of the project will be borne by the central government.
In order to enhance border security, the Cabinet also approved raising seven new battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. For the supervision of the battalions, an additional sector headquarters will be established by 2025-26.
(With PTI inputs.)