MonkeyBoy4u
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Shinkula tunnel to reduce Leh distance by 100 km
External Source : Tribune India
Shimla, June 25
Construction of the Rohtang tunnel is just the beginning of long-term plans of the Defence Ministry to have all-weather connectivity to the border areas as it is the boring of another 4-km-long tunnel under the Shinkula Pass, which will provide unhindered access on the Manali-Leh road.
The construction of another tunnel under the 15,920-ft Shinkula Pass will enable bypassing of the four lofty mountain passes of Baralacha La, Thaglang La, Nakila and Lachung La to make Manali-Leh an all-weather road. This will also reduce the distance on this tactical road by almost 100 km, making it the shortest route for carrying defence supplies to the border areas beyond Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are undertaking a feasibility study for construction of a tunnel at the Shinkula Pass which will help us bypass the higher areas which have heavy snow and thereby reduce the distance to Leh by 100 km,” said PK Mahajan, chief engineer, Project Rohtang. It was on the proposal of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) that the Defence Ministry gave go ahead to undertake feasibility studies for the construction of the tunnel.
The realigned highway will pass through much lower altitude from Darcha to Padam via Shinkula.
The fact that the government is willing to spend a huge amount of Rs 1,458 crore on the 8.9-km-long Rohtang tunnel only heightens the strategic importance of the 470 km Manali-Leh road. In fact this route came in very handy for movement of supplies for the forces deployed in the border areas at the time of Kargil conflict as the road through Jammu and Kashmir came under the firing range of the Pakistani forces, making movement a very risky and difficult task.
Sources confirmed that following the Kargil conflict, India was keen to have a safe passage to its border areas with its neighbours like Pakistan. Even though the Rohtang tunnel was conceived way back in 1983 as an alternate route for strategic considerations, it was only in September last year that that the Cabinet sub-committee on Security cleared the Rohtang tunnel project.
A preliminary study for the project was conducted in 1984 in consultation with Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Manali-based Snow Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE). The detailed feasibility study of the tunnel was finally approved in January 1987.
The construction of the Rohtang tunnel will reduce the distance between Manali and Koksar in Lahaul by 46 km and travelling time by two hours. It is bound to open up vistas of trade and tourism and ample employment opportunities for almost 35,000 population of Lahaul-Spiti.
Mod note: Thread merged! Yesterday too the new thread had to be merged here!
Please do not keep starting new threads for the same topic!
External Source : Tribune India
Shimla, June 25
Construction of the Rohtang tunnel is just the beginning of long-term plans of the Defence Ministry to have all-weather connectivity to the border areas as it is the boring of another 4-km-long tunnel under the Shinkula Pass, which will provide unhindered access on the Manali-Leh road.
The construction of another tunnel under the 15,920-ft Shinkula Pass will enable bypassing of the four lofty mountain passes of Baralacha La, Thaglang La, Nakila and Lachung La to make Manali-Leh an all-weather road. This will also reduce the distance on this tactical road by almost 100 km, making it the shortest route for carrying defence supplies to the border areas beyond Leh in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We are undertaking a feasibility study for construction of a tunnel at the Shinkula Pass which will help us bypass the higher areas which have heavy snow and thereby reduce the distance to Leh by 100 km,” said PK Mahajan, chief engineer, Project Rohtang. It was on the proposal of the Border Road Organisation (BRO) that the Defence Ministry gave go ahead to undertake feasibility studies for the construction of the tunnel.
The realigned highway will pass through much lower altitude from Darcha to Padam via Shinkula.
The fact that the government is willing to spend a huge amount of Rs 1,458 crore on the 8.9-km-long Rohtang tunnel only heightens the strategic importance of the 470 km Manali-Leh road. In fact this route came in very handy for movement of supplies for the forces deployed in the border areas at the time of Kargil conflict as the road through Jammu and Kashmir came under the firing range of the Pakistani forces, making movement a very risky and difficult task.
Sources confirmed that following the Kargil conflict, India was keen to have a safe passage to its border areas with its neighbours like Pakistan. Even though the Rohtang tunnel was conceived way back in 1983 as an alternate route for strategic considerations, it was only in September last year that that the Cabinet sub-committee on Security cleared the Rohtang tunnel project.
A preliminary study for the project was conducted in 1984 in consultation with Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Manali-based Snow Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE). The detailed feasibility study of the tunnel was finally approved in January 1987.
The construction of the Rohtang tunnel will reduce the distance between Manali and Koksar in Lahaul by 46 km and travelling time by two hours. It is bound to open up vistas of trade and tourism and ample employment opportunities for almost 35,000 population of Lahaul-Spiti.
Mod note: Thread merged! Yesterday too the new thread had to be merged here!
Please do not keep starting new threads for the same topic!
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