Yash Khajuria
Leh, Sept 04: Despite being one of Ladakh’s most celebrated tourist destinations, Nubra Valley continues to grapple with a significant lack of basic infrastructure. The shortage of public toilet facilities along the Leh – Nubra route has sparked frustration among both locals and tourists. The situation has been exacerbated by the fact that toilets constructed by the District Hill Development Council remain inexplicably locked, even during the peak tourist season.
Tourists traveling from Leh to Nubra Valley face severe hardships in the absence of public toilets along the route, a glaring oversight in an area that attracts thousands of visitors each year. The issue has drawn widespread attention, with many questioning the priorities of local authorities.
Stobie Goba, a social activist and entrepreneur based in Leh, has brought the issue to the forefront through a video post shared on the social media platform META. In the video, Goba highlighted a particularly troubling instance at a taxi stand in North Pullu, where a public toilet facility remains locked, forcing commuters to relieve themselves in the open—a situation he described as a public embarrassment. “If a fully constructed facility is not there for public use, then it is not fulfilling any purpose but wasting public money,” Goba remarked in his post.
The Union Territory (UT) administration of Ladakh claims to have allocated millions of rupees for tourism infrastructure development. However, the lack of basic amenities, such as public toilets, raises serious questions about the effective utilization of these funds. Despite promises and claims, the route between Leh and Nubra remains devoid of public utility facilities, leaving travelers to cope with significant inconvenience. This neglect has left locals frustrated, particularly with the elected representatives in the District Hill Development Council, who have been unable to address the problem.
Nubra Valley is represented by a Deputy Chief Executive Councillor, an Executive Councillor, and three Councillors in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC). Yet, the problem persists. Many residents and tourists alike express disappointment at the apparent indifference of those in power toward the inconvenience caused by the absence of such essential facilities.
Local resident T. Norphel Siachen directly blamed the Nubra Development Authority for the issue. “It is their responsibility to address this issue and install toilets at appropriate locations along the route from Leh to Nubra Valley,” he said. “The fact that nothing has been done is a clear failure on their part.”
Another local, Urgian Leh, pointed out that such issues might only receive attention during the “Ladakh dPal rNgam Duston” celebrations, an annual event, underscoring the sporadic nature of infrastructure improvements in the region.
Trinlay Nubu echoed these concerns, emphasizing the challenges faced by tourists. “Tourists face a lot of problems while going to Nubra,” he commented.
In Leh city, the situation isn’t much better. Tsewang Kunphel, a resident, criticized the tourism department for seemingly prioritizing VIP tourists while neglecting ordinary commuters. He noted the lack of proper public transport stands, particularly around the popular “I Love Ladakh” point. The designated space for public transport is often occupied by police or patrol vehicles, forcing drivers to halt in the middle of the road, a practice that disrupts traffic and results in fines for the drivers.
With tourism serving as a key economic driver in the region, lack of toilet facilities and other basic infrastructure along the Leh-Nubra route is more than just an inconvenience—it is a blemish on Ladakh’s reputation as a global tourist destination.
