Srinagar:A 298-km road connecting Manali to Leh via the Darcha and Nimmu route on the Kargil–Leh Highway has been confirmed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
An official spokesperson said that the road is now the third axis apart from Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh which connects Ladakh to the hinterland.
He also said that 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.
“This will result in the road having all weather connectivity to the Ladakh region. The connectivity will strengthen the defence preparedness and provide a boost to the economic development in the Zanskar valley,” he added.
Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan, Director General of Border Roads, mentioned that in January, when the Zanskar River was frozen, they moved the equipment and personnel to begin establishing connectivity, which was successfully completed.
He expressed optimism that the road blacktopping work will commence shortly.
With construction of Shinkun La tunnel commencing, the third all weather axis to Ladakh will be established, he added.