NIMMU-PADAM-DARCHA ROAD

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Context

• By establishing connectivity on the 298-km Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road in Ladakh, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has accomplished a significant milestone.

The Road

• The road that connects Nimmu, Padam, and Darcha has only one pass, ShinkunLa, which is 16,558 feet high.
• As part of the Kargil–Leh highway, the road will pass through Darcha and Nimmu and offer all-weather access to Leh.
• The road starts 35 kilometres before Leh, at Nimo on the Leh-Srinagar highway.
• The Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road connects Manali to Leh via Darcha and Nimmu on the Kargil-Leh highway.
• 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. The road is quicker and more effective.
• This 298-km road is now the third axis apart from Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh which connects Ladakh to the hinterland.
• In addition to the current Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh routes, this road will serve as the third axis through the strategically important area.
• This will reduce dependence on airways during the colder months, and will facilitate movement of Army personnel.

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https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/shinku-la-tunnel