Shinkun La Tunnel

Why in news?

• The Union Cabinet gave its nod for the construction of the 4.1-km Shinkun La tunnel on the Nimu-Padam-Darcha road link to provide all-weather connectivity to the border areas of Ladakh

About Shinkun La Tunnel:

• Shinkun La is a mountain pass, on the border between Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the route from Manali to Zanskar valley (Kargil).
  • Zanskar is a tehsil of Kargil district, in Ladakh.
  • The Zanskar Range is a mountain range in the Ladakh that separates the Zanskar valley from Indus valley at Leh.
• On completion of this tunnel, the Manali-Kargil highway will remain open throughout the year.
• If constructed the 13.5 Km long tunnel would be one of the longest high-altitude tunnels.

Significance

• The Shinku La tunnel project is a significant step in terms of security perspective as Nimu in Ladakh is close to Kargil as well as Leh and will help the armed forces in quicker deployment of forces and equipment in the region if there is any tense situation.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Shinkun La is a mountain pass which connects:

(a) Manali to Kargil

(b) Chenab valley to Kashmir

(c) Tawang to Tibet

(d) Sikkim to Darjeeling

Answer