BRO to construct world's highest tunnel at Shinku La Pass connecting Himachal Pradesh-Ladakh

The Border Roads Organisation will start the construction of the tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh by July this year.

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The Border Roads Organisation’s (BRO) Director General Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary on April 16 said that BRO will construct the world's highest tunnel at Shinku La Pass at 16,580 feet to connect Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh. 

He stated this while opening Himachal to Zanskar Road at Shinku La Pass, where over half a dozen vehicles crosses the Shinku La Pass from Zanskar side towards Manali.

Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary told PTI that the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will start the construction of the tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh to Zanskar Valley in Ladakh by July this year.

He said the Centre has already made 'Project Yojak' of BRO to execute this ambitious project. This tunnel, to be completed by 2025, will change the economy of Zanskar Valley, the official added.

At present, one has to travel 101 km from Manali to Darcha on Leh road and thereafter, take a turn from Darcha towards Shinku La Pass and enter Zanskar valley.

The south portal of the tunnel will be at Shinku La and the north portal at Lakhang, he added. The D-G lauded the efforts of BRO personnel in restoring the Shinku La-Padum road as well as Manali-Leh road in record time.

On this occasion, BRO Project Deepak's Chief Engineer PK Barua, Project Yojak Chief Engineer Jitender Prasad, Commander 38 BRTF Col Shabarish Wachhali, Rigzin Hayrappa, ex-Zila Parishad member Lahaul, and people from Darcha, Chikka, Jispa, and Rarik thanked the BRO D-G for the latest development project.

(With inputs from PTI)