An increasing number of steps are being taken to tackle the apprehensive need to increase faster deployment of Indian troops in light of any possible flare up in the Kargil-Siachen sector in Pakistan or the PLA in eastern Ladakh.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved a proposal from the Ministry of Defence to build a tunnel under Shinkun La, 13 kilometres long linking it to the Darcha-Upshi-Leh highway for a total cost of ₹1681.51, to be completed by December 2025.
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Significant :
The step is very pertinently significant and of immediate importance as Nimu in Ladakh is close to Kargil as well as Leh, the headquarters of the UT. This means that the Indian Army can conduct faster deployment of forces and equipment if a situation flares up in Kargil-Siachen sector or in East Ladakh sector all along the 1597 km LAC in the UT as these are both predominantly areas of frequent and high military friction.
This tunnel and highway are of critical importance and high utility as they have sheltered India from both Pakistani and Chinese long range artillery or missile firing unlike in the past and will in case of unforeseen clashes in the region, unlike the exposed Srinagar-Drass-Kaksar-Kargil highway near LoC and the Manali-Upshi-Leh highway near the LAC respectively. It was the Darcha-Padam-Nimu route which was used by the Indian Army to send arms and ammunition supplies to East Ladakh after Chinese PLA belligerence on the LAC in May 2020, thus proving to be of most strategic importance and military utility.
Ladakh’s Defence :
Thus to take Ladakh’s defence up a notch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today cleared a 4.1 kilometre tunnel under Shinkun La on Manali-Darcha-Padam-Nimu axis to allow all weather connectivity to within the region as it was previously often inaccessible due to heavy snowfall, thereby now letting it serve as a passage for emergency mobilisation in event of unwanted yet unexpected inter-military friction.
