The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Tuesday connected strategically important all-weather 298-km long road from Manali to Leh through Darcha and Nimmu on the Kargil–Leh Highway.

“Execution of Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road is not just about infrastructure and transportation; its about bridging the gap between aspirations and opportunities, its about empowerment and commitment towards a better future for the people living in Zanskar Valley,” said the BRO.

The BRO further said that Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road is now the third axis apart from Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh which connects Ladakh to the hinterland. The Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road derives its strategic importance from the fact that it is not only shorter vis-a-vis the other two axes, but crosses only one pass—Shinkun La (16,558 feet)—on which tunnel work is about to commence by the BRO.

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BRO Director General Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan said, “ In January when the River Zansakar was frozen, we used this to our advantage and moved equipment and personnel along the frozen river to establish additional attack points. This enhanced the progress of work. Today we have established the connectivity on this vital axis. Soon we will start work on black topping the road. With construction of Shinkun La tunnel commencing, the third all weather axis to Ladakh will be established.”

The all weather connectivity to strategically important Ladakh region will give a quantum boost to the defence preparedness along the Northern Borders. It will also give a tremendous boost to economic development in the Zanskar valley.

As the nation was celebrating the Holi, the intrepid personnel of BRO were tirelessly cutting through vertical rock face connecting the final stretch of Niraq gorge in sub-zero temperature, the BRO said.

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