plans to construct tunnels in India-controlled 08:24, August 05, 2009

India is planning to construct two tunnels on - highway in India-controlled Kashmir to make it all weather and improve the road connectivity to the .

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the bicameral Indian Parliament, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways R.P.N.Singh Tuesday made the announcement.

The minister said two tunnels, one at Zojila Pass between Sonamag and Drass measuring 12 kilometers and another one at Z Morh measuring 3.10 kilometers are proposed to be constructed.

The survey on the project is going on and the feasibility report is expected to be submitted with the ministry within a period of 18 months.

Road to Ladakh remains closed during heavy in winters mainly at Zojila Pass and the tunnels would make it all weather.

India is also planning to connect Ladakh region with rest of India through a railway line via Himachal Pradesh.

The first rail link measuring 498 kilometers is likely to come up between district of Indian-controlled Kashmir and Bilaspur of Himachal Pradesh.

Already (IAF) is building an airbase at Neomanear line-of-actual-control (LaC). The airbase in east Ladakh would be made operational this year as per IAF officials.

Last year and Fuk Che airbases were built by Indian Air Force in Ladakh.

The airfields are being revived for defense purposes but officials said that they would also use them for tourism purposes to cater to future tourist inflow in the mountain-locked region.

Ladakh is the gateway to the highest battlefield in the world, Siachen .

"Source: Xinhua"