World’s longest highway tunnel above 16,000ft beneath 16,580ft high Shinku-la pass will be ready by 2025 that will provide Zanskar valley of Ladakh an all-weather connectivity, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) chief Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry said at Shinkula top. After attending the Golden Handshake Ceremony on occasion of opening of Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road amidst fresh snowfall, and in the middle of 5 to 6ft high walls of snow, the director general border roads (DGBR) Chaudhary said this new road, which has now opened for traffic movement, will be officially opened for all kinds of vehicles as widening and blacktopping of the highway will be completed in three years along with completion of the 4.25 km-long Shinkula tunnel. He said formation cutting of the remaining stretch between Padum and Nimmu in Ladakh will also be completed soon. He said a new Road Construction Company (RCC) will be established in the area. Chaudhary was quoted as saying: “The Shinkula pass tunnel will be 4.25 kilometer in length at altitude of about 16,000 foot. It will be the highest and longest tunnel at this altitude in the entire world. He said work on construction of the tunnel will start in July or August this year. The exercise to build the Nimmu-Darcha road had started 20 years back but the work faced many technical glitches. This new road is going to prove boon not only to the army but also it will bring positive revolution in the Zanskar valley of Ladakh.” He said it used to take many days to travel from Zanskar to Himachal in the past but now the travel time has been reduced to only a few hours. He said the travel time will further be reduced after widening and blacktopping of the highway. DGBR said the Yojak Project of BRO, which
World’s longest highway tunnel above 16,000ft beneath 16,580ft high Shinku-la pass will be ready by 2025 that will provide Zanskar valley of Ladakh an all-weather connectivity, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) chief Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry said at Shinkula top. After attending the Golden Handshake Ceremony on occasion of opening of Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road amidst fresh snowfall,
The availability of mobile network with high-speed internet connectivity at 14,000 ft high Sarchu on Manali-Leh highway is leaving tourists surprised these days. Reliance Jio has launched its service at Sarchu a few days back. In an effort to strengthen the mobile and internet connectivity in border areas and along important border roads, the 14,000ft high Sarchu on Manali-Leh highway has received 4G mobile connectivity. Strategically important 428km long Manali-Leh highway had no mobile connectivity in more than 260km long stretch of the road between Himachal’s Darcha and Ladakh’s Upshi. Sarchu, 176km from Manali, is a non-inhabited remote plateau at the boundary of Himachal and Ladakh. Sarchu is a popular mid-way halt point on Manali-Leh highway. People from Himachal and Ladakh operate seasonal shops, dhabas and tented accommodations here for tourists and military convoys. The area also serves the Indian Army as its transit point. Now, Sarchu, the most important place on Manali-Leh highway, which has no residential houses or electricity supply, has mobile connectivity with high-speed internet. The travellers, who are listening to ringtone on their mobile phones at Sarchu, are being left surprised these days as nobody had expected mobile network in such a remote area. IT and tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda was quoted by media as saying, "Reliance Jio is installing a large number of telecom towers across the tribal areas. The company has connected major places of Lahaul-Spiti with 4G connectivity. Most areas along Manali-Sarchu highway is now covered with mobile network. More such towers are proposed to be established." People in trouble used to be left at the mercy of God on this highway as they had no option to call for help. Usually, Indian Army and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) used to help people in distress but the non-availability of the network
The availability of mobile network with high-speed internet connectivity at 14,000 ft high Sarchu on Manali-Leh highway is leaving tourists surprised these days. Reliance Jio has launched its service at Sarchu a few days back. In an effort to strengthen the mobile and internet connectivity in border areas and along important border roads, the 14,000ft
