Ladakh needs special focus for all-weather connectivity: Rawat

Army Chief-designate Lt Gen Bipin Rawat and Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D Anbu has underlined the need for a "special focus" to achieve an all-weather connectivity to the strategic Ladakh region, which borders China.
The Ladakh region, which has high significance from strategic considerations, remains cut-off for almost half of the year throughout the winter season from the rest of India.
This happens due to intensive snow fall, avalanche and icing at passes viz Zozila on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road and Rohtang, Baralacha La, Lachung La and Tanglang La on Manali- Sarchu-Upshi-Leh road.
"It, therefore, needs a special focus and network of tunnel to have an all weather connectivity," a statement by the army quoted them as saying at a one-day workshop organised by the Ministry of Defence on tunnelling in North & North Eastern Region on December 17 here.

Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar highlighted that infrastructure development in North and North-Eastern part of the country has always been a matter of challenge due to adverse climatic conditions, fragile and young geology and remote location.
Growing awareness on forest, environmental and ecological issues to minimise instability of hill slopes and avoid phenomena of flash floods and cloud burst has also been a matter of serious concern which need urgent attention, he said.
Underground structures like tunnel could help a great deal to minimise the disturbances to natural settings and provide straight alignment and thus reduce length of roads, he added.