Why India is building a tunnel in the world's highest mountain range

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
"India is building the Zojila Tunnel, the longest two-lane road tunnel in Asia, to reduce travel time and improve connectivity12. The tunnel is situated at 12,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas and will make transporting goods easier on one of the most difficult roads on the continent2. The journey between Jammu/Kashmir and Ladakh will be reduced from three hours to twenty minutes2. The tunnel also holds political significance, allowing India to enhance troop deployment along its contested border with China1"...

Amazing engineering project. The eventual "rivalry" was predictable after it was so easy for China to take Tibet with little or no support for Tibet from the world of nations. Tibet is rich in history and cultural treasures, about which China was no doubt aware. One of my history profs was advocating for a free Tibet back in the early 90s.
It would be interesting to get a hold of some of the rocks from the tunneling to learn what they reveal about earlier times and environments.