Leh, Sept 16: In a significant development aiming to transform the connectivity between Ladakh, Jammu and Himachal Pradesh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced the Paddar-Zanskar Road.
The Paddar-Zanskar Road will serve as a critical strategic link to fortify national security along India’s borders with China and Pakistan, and at the same time will rejuvenate cultural and historical ties between these regions, significantly boosting tourism and local economies in three regions.
Shah made this announcement while addressing an election rally in Paddar area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.
“Today, I am announcing that we have decided to build the Paddar-Zanskar road. This road will help Ladakh as well as Jammu,” said Shah, flanked by former Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal.
The Paddar-Zanskar Road is not just a project of infrastructural importance, but a lifeline that will transform the connectivity between Ladakh and the Paddar region in Jammu & Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
This road will serve as a critical strategic link to fortify national security along India’s borders with China and Pakistan—regions that have witnessed conflicts, including the 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971, and 1999 wars, as well as the Galwan conflict in 2020.
The road will also rejuvenate cultural and historical ties between these regions, significantly boosting tourism and local economies in Ladakh, Paddar Valley, and Pangi Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
Two routes are proposed for the road construction including a 45 km route via Kishtwar-Atholi-Maichil-Soomchan-Zongkhul, and a 80 km route via Kishtwar-Atholi-Maichil-Dangail-Pot La-Bardan/Haftal, directly linking Ladakh with Jammu.
Upon completion, this road will be the shortest route between Northern Command and the Pathankot Airforce and Military Station, shortening the current distance by about 150 km.
Historically, this strategic path was used by the renowned Dogra General Zorawar Singh in his Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Tibet campaigns during the 1830s.
The Defence Road, connecting Block Headquarters Paddar (J&K) with Zanskar (Ladakh), will also provide a safer route through Paddar Sub-Division, bypassing areas vulnerable to anti-national elements.
As part of the broader development plan, a 31 km road from Block Headquarters Paddar to Lossani Machail Paddar has already been sanctioned under PMGSY Phase 1 and Phase 2, with an allocated budget of Rs 46.42 crore.
The most feasible and cost-effective solution would be constructing an 8 km tunnel from Lossani to Dangail via Dharlong Nallah and Chamo Chohar, linking directly to Zanskar in Ladakh.
This project holds immense significance not just for national security but also for the socio-economic development of the region. It will provide enhanced connectivity, stimulate tourism, and foster a stronger sense of unity and purpose among the people of Paddar-Pangi and Ladakh.
Jamyang Tsering Namgyal expressed his heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the people of Ladakh, especially the residents of Zanskar, and the people of Paddar-Pangi Valley, to Home Minister Amit Shah for his landmark announcement regarding the construction of the much-anticipated Paddar-Zanskar Road.
“This commitment was made during his recent address in Paddar, Kishtwar District, underscoring the Modi Government’s focus on developing strategic infrastructure in border regions,” he said in a statement.
“We are deeply grateful to the Home Minister and the Modi Government for their unwavering commitment to the progress and security of our region,” Namgyal added.
