In order to enhance the physical connectivity that would be beneficial for the locals, tourists and the armed forces, the Border Road Organisation has kicked off construction and upgrade of five major roads projects in Ladakh. 

Ladakh Lt Governor Ladakh Radha Krishna Mathur launched the projects from Turtuk, the northernmost village of India. 

The Ladakh administration and the BRO had signed the MoU on September 3 for the development of connectivity in the hilly region.

The projects undertaken on Friday include the construction of the Hanuthang-Handanbroke-Zungpal-Turtuk road.

The 26.6-km-long greenfield road is expected to facilitate inter-valley connectivity between Zungpal-Turtuk (Shyok Valley) and Hanuthang-Handanbroke (Indus Valley) across the Stakpuchan Range. 

The new road will also drastically reduce the travel time to Turtuk from nine hours to three-and-a-half hours via Leh without traversing the dangerous Khardungla pass.

Work on upgrading four major single-lane roads was also commenced.

These projects include 78-Km road Khalse to Batallik, 50 Km road Kargil to Dumgil which will also include the construction of a tunnel at Hambotingla to ensure seamless connectivity from Kargil to Batallik, 70 km road Khalsar to Shyokvia Agham and 31 Km Tangtse to Lukung. 

The Narendra Modi government has priority for the development of the J&K and Ladakh and it can be understood that when the government came in power in 2014 there was only 1,695 km of road was constructed under National Highway. Today, up to 2,664 km of roads have been constructed till date. 

Minister of Road Transport and Highway Nitin Gadkari had recently said that over the next couple of years the government will be taking up as much work as had not been taken up in the last 50 years.