[BRO-Strategic Road - Darcha-Padum-Sengge La-Khalsi-Leh]
- Manali - Leh is one of the two main roads connecting Ladakh with rest of the country.
- BRO has recently opened two new roads, which serve a strategic purpose by providing an alternate to Manali-Leh and civic purpose
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- Manali - Leh is one of the two main roads connecting Ladakh with rest of the country.
- BRO has recently opened two new roads, which serve a strategic purpose by providing an alternate to Manali-Leh and civic purpose
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🅰️Road 1: This road starts at Darcha in Himachal Pradesh, crosses 16K+ feet high Singo La/Shinku La pass, and then follows the alignment of Lungnak river to reach Padum in Zanskar river valley.
- This road also opens up direct access to Kargil sector from Himachal Pradesh
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- This road also opens up direct access to Kargil sector from Himachal Pradesh
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- Earlier, Kargil could either be accessed from Srinagar side or by continuing further on the Manali - Leh highway towards Kargil
- Now, there is direct access from Darcha to Kargil via Padum:
- - -> Manali-Kargil: 685+ km
- - -> Manlai-Darcha-Padum-Kargil: ~500 km.
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- Earlier, Kargil could either be accessed from Srinagar side or by continuing further on the Manali - Leh highway towards Kargil
- Now, there is direct access from Darcha to Kargil via Padum:
- - -> Manali-Kargil: 685+ km
- - -> Manlai-Darcha-Padum-Kargil: ~500 km.
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- But it more than just about distance; its about having an alternate communication axis which is very imp in any conflict.
- Civic Implication: As the map shows, for locals living in the Zanskar valley, they'd to either travel to Srinagar (430 km) or Leh (446 km) to have +
- But it more than just about distance; its about having an alternate communication axis which is very imp in any conflict.
- Civic Implication: As the map shows, for locals living in the Zanskar valley, they'd to either travel to Srinagar (430 km) or Leh (446 km) to have +
+ access to any major market.
- With this new road, locals can access Manali (~300 km) in Himachal for major purchases
🅱️Road 2: Connects Zanskar Valley with Leh via Khalsi and completely bypasses the much longer Padum-Kargil-Leh road (450+ km) which was a 2-day journey.
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- With this new road, locals can access Manali (~300 km) in Himachal for major purchases
🅱️Road 2: Connects Zanskar Valley with Leh via Khalsi and completely bypasses the much longer Padum-Kargil-Leh road (450+ km) which was a 2-day journey.
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- Road existed from Khalsi till Neyak village and rest of the road was opened a few days back.
- Road passes through two high altitude passes - Sirsir La (15,500 ft; pic1) and Sangge La (16,500 ft; pic2) (both pics sourced from internet)
- Road existed from Khalsi till Neyak village and rest of the road was opened a few days back.
- Road passes through two high altitude passes - Sirsir La (15,500 ft; pic1) and Sangge La (16,500 ft; pic2) (both pics sourced from internet)
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- From Singge La (Lion Pass!), road bifurcates to Nerak village and the famous Lingshed Monastery.
- Nerak Village falls along the Zanskar river and from here onward, the road follows the alignment of Zanskar river into the Zanskar valley.
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- From Singge La (Lion Pass!), road bifurcates to Nerak village and the famous Lingshed Monastery.
- Nerak Village falls along the Zanskar river and from here onward, the road follows the alignment of Zanskar river into the Zanskar valley.
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🅾️ Road 3: A road is under-construction from Nimmo (confluence of Zanskar & Indus river), which follows the Zanskar river alignment, and close to Nerak, meets the new road towards Zangla which has been recently opened.
- Road already exists till Chilling and has to be
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🅾️ Road 3: A road is under-construction from Nimmo (confluence of Zanskar & Indus river), which follows the Zanskar river alignment, and close to Nerak, meets the new road towards Zangla which has been recently opened.
- Road already exists till Chilling and has to be
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+ extended further.
- This Nimmoo - Zangla-Padum-Darcha road will be ~300 km in lenght and is expected to be all weather.
- In comparison, Manali-Leh road is ~480 km in length and four high altitude mountain passes.
- While a tunnel is being built under Rohtang Pass, there +
- This Nimmoo - Zangla-Padum-Darcha road will be ~300 km in lenght and is expected to be all weather.
- In comparison, Manali-Leh road is ~480 km in length and four high altitude mountain passes.
- While a tunnel is being built under Rohtang Pass, there +
+ three other passes - Baralacha La (16,500 ft), Nakee La (15,547 ft), Lachulung La (16,616 ft) and the highest, Tanglang La (17,480 ft).
- In comparison, Nimmoo-Padum-Darcha-Manali road will have to cross only one pass, Singo La (16,703 ft).
- On civic side, this will also +
- In comparison, Nimmoo-Padum-Darcha-Manali road will have to cross only one pass, Singo La (16,703 ft).
- On civic side, this will also +
+ connect the entire Zanskar valley to Leh directly on one side, and Manali in Himachal Pradesh on the other.
- Darcha-Shingo La-Padum road was opened for light vehicle (4x4 at least) traffic in 2019.
- At present, it is just a compacted surface and exercise to black-top it +
- Darcha-Shingo La-Padum road was opened for light vehicle (4x4 at least) traffic in 2019.
- At present, it is just a compacted surface and exercise to black-top it +
+ will take some more time.
- Same goes for the newly opened Nerak to Zangla road.
- Even the road from Photoksar to Sengge La and Lingshed monastery is mainly simple compacted road.
- But good enough for 4x4 and higher vehicles.
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- Same goes for the newly opened Nerak to Zangla road.
- Even the road from Photoksar to Sengge La and Lingshed monastery is mainly simple compacted road.
- But good enough for 4x4 and higher vehicles.
[END]
