New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Friday launched five major road development projects in Ladakh in tune with the government's efforts to improve overall infrastructure in the strategically key region.

The ground breaking ceremony for the projects was attended by Lt Governor of Ladakh Radha Krishna Mathur, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Director General of BRO Lt Gen Rajeev Chaudhry.

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The defence ministry said the projects included construction of greenfield alignment and upgrading of major single lane roads to double-lane and tunnelling works. It said the construction of the Hanuthang-Handanbroke-Zungpal-Turtuk road will provide inter valley connectivity between Hanuthang-Handanbroke (Indus Valley) and Zungpal-Turtuk (Shyok Valley) across the Stakpuchan Range.

"This will also reduce the travel time to three-and-half hours from existing nine hours to Turtuk via Leh without crossing the treacherous Khardungla pass," the ministry said in a statement.

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It said strengthening of four major single-lane roads has also commenced.

"These roads include the 78 km road from Khalse to Batallik, the 50 km road from Kargil to Dumgil, the 70 km road from Khalsar to Shyokvia Agham and 31 km road from Tangtse to Lukung.

"All these roads are used extensively by travellers to tourist destinations such as Hundar (Nubra Valley), Turtuk village, Shyok, Pangon-Tso lake and Aryan villages of Dah, Garkone Darchik etc," the ministry said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)