Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually inaugurated the construction of the world’s highest tunnel in Ladakh’s Kargil by initiating the first blast.

The Shinkun La Tunnel, a 4.1-kilometer-long twin-tube structure, is being constructed at an altitude of approximately 15,800 feet on the Nimu-Padum-Darcha Road, according to a PMO release.

The tunnel will ensure all-weather connectivity to Leh and is expected to enhance the swift and efficient movement of the country’s armed forces and their equipment, while also fostering economic and social development in Ladakh.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to the brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the 1999 Kargil War. He laid a wreath at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass, Ladakh, on the occasion of the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.

In his speech, the Prime Minister warned Pakistan that its nefarious plans would not materialize, as Indian soldiers will crush terrorism with full force, delivering a befitting reply to the enemy. He criticized Pakistan, saying that the neighboring country has not learned from its history and continues to engage in proxy warfare.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, and all ranks of the armed forces also joined in remembering the supreme sacrifice made by the soldiers during the Kargil War.

Kargil Vijay Diwas, observed annually on July 26, commemorates the success of Operation Vijay in 1999, during which Indian forces successfully reclaimed strategic positions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir that had been infiltrated by Pakistani soldiers and terrorists.

(With ANI inputs)