Shinku-La Tunnel or Shinkula Tunnel or Shingo-La Tunnel or Shinkun La is upcoming motorable tunnel under 16,580ft high Shinku-la pass between Himachal’s Lahaul valley and Ladakh’s Zanskar valley in Northern India. The tunnel was given principal approval in 2021 but the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (February 15, 2023) gave a final nod to the project. After budget allocation and floating tenders, the work to dig the tunnel started in July 2024. Ministry of Defence through Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is building Darcha-Shinkula-Padum-Nimu as an alternative road to connect Ladakh with Himachal Pradesh. This will be the third highway connecting Ladakh with mainland after Srinagar-Kargil-Leh and Manali-Sarchu-Leh highways. The Manali-Padum-Nimu road or Darcha-Padum-Nimu road will become all-weather after the completion of the Shinku-la tunnel. This will be the safest and shortest road to reach Leh. As Atal Tunnel, Rohtang, has bypassed 13,050ft high Rohtang pass, Shinkula pass will be the only pass on this new road. Unlike Manali-Sarchu-Leh highway which has many mountain passes, the Darcha-Padum-Nimu road has only one pass -- Shinkula pass. The Defence Ministry is concentrating more on this new road as it will facilitate in military movement even in winter months. Otherwise, both Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh highways get blocked following heavy snowfall for five to seven months a year. Currently, 10.02 km long Atal tunnel is the world’s longest highway tunnel above 10,000ft. After completion, Shinku-la tunnel will be the longest high altitude highway tunnel in the world above 15,000 ft. The work on the 4.1-km-long Shinku-la tunnel was expected to start in 2021, then 2022 but it started on July 26, 2024. (Please note that as of May 19, 2021, MoD has rejected the proposal of 13.5 km long tunnel from Patseo and given nod to 4.1 KM long Shinku-la
Shinku-La Tunnel or Shinkula Tunnel or Shingo-La Tunnel or Shinkun La is upcoming motorable tunnel under 16,580ft high Shinku-la pass between Himachal’s Lahaul valley and Ladakh’s Zanskar valley in Northern India. The tunnel was given principal approval in 2021 but the Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (February 15, 2023) gave
February 25, 2022: The tussle between Leh and Manali Bikers' Associations over tourism activities seems to be easing as commercially registered motorbikes from both territories will be allowed to enter each other's territories but only along the national highway. However, restrictions on private bikes will continue as usual. The different tourism-based unions and associations in Ladakh do not allow taxis from other states to ply on its internal routes connecting the popular sightseeing places like Pangong lake, Khardungla pass, Nubra Valley, Tsomoriri, etc. The taxis are allowed to ply on only Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh national highways. Only private cars are allowed to go anywhere in Ladakh. However, both private and commercially registered motorbikes registered outside Ladakh being used for tourism purposes are not allowed on internal roads. After a recent dispute between the bike unions of Leh and Manali, the bikes from Manali side were not being allowed to enter Ladakh, and similarly bikes from Ladakh were not being allowed to enter Himachal. This was hurting the tourism business of both the regions and tourists were being harassed. The talks to resolve the matter remained unsuccessful. The officials of the Manali Bikers Association and Ladakh Biker Cooperative Association had a meeting on the issue in Leh on Friday (February 25, 2022). And it was decided that commercial bikes from both regions will be allowed on the Leh-Manali national highway. It was decided in the meeting that tourists who ride rented private bikes will not be allowed as it is unauthorized. Manali bikers association general secretary Tenzin Bodh said this is for the first time that both the unions have come on the same platform to resolve the issue. “Now it has been decided that movement of bikes will be allowed only on the Leh-Manali national highway. Commercially registered bikes will
February 25, 2022: The tussle between Leh and Manali Bikers’ Associations over tourism activities seems to be easing as commercially registered motorbikes from both territories will be allowed to enter each other’s territories but only along the national highway. However, restrictions on private bikes will continue as usual. The different tourism-based unions and associations in
