Synopsis: Keylong-Padum bus service is going to become reality very soon as HRTC has conducted a successful trial on this route. The plan is to run the bus on Rewalsar-Kullu-Manali-Keylong-Darcha-Padum route. Keylong-Padum bus service will help in tourism promotion in the region. Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC), which operates buses on the country's longest and highest route between Delhi and Leh, will soon start a bus service between Padum in Kargil district's Zanskar valley and Keylong and Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The bus service, depending on demand, will be operated from Rewalsar in Himachal’s Mandi district. HRTC has successfully conducted a trial run of a 29-seater mini bus between Lahaul-Spiti district’s headquarter Keylong and Zanskar’s headquarter Padum. First of its kind, the bus service will start immediately after completing the permit related formalities. Initially the bus may run on Keylong-Padum route but the plan is to run the bus on Rewalsar-Padum route. Anshit Sharma, HRTC regional manager at Keylong, was quoted as saying: “The trial run has been successful. Once we complete all the formalities, the bus service will be launched immediately. Initially we plan to run only one bus, but if passenger load increases, we may increase the buses. The route permit is between Rewalsar and Padum. We are hoping for the success of the bus service.” Zanskar being a Buddhist dominated valley, the residents have cultural and religious relations with Himachal, especially Lahaul-Spiti district and Rewalsar in Mandi district. Earlier, people of Zanskar used to enter Himachal after many days of hard trekking via Shinku-la pass or after three to four days long road journey via Kargil, Leh and Sarchu. Now the journey via 16,580ft high Shinku-la will be completed in just one day. The distance between Padum and Keylong via traditional road through Kargil and Leh is
Synopsis: Keylong-Padum bus service is going to become reality very soon as HRTC has conducted a successful trial on this route. The plan is to run the bus on Rewalsar-Kullu-Manali-Keylong-Darcha-Padum route. Keylong-Padum bus service will help in tourism promotion in the region. Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC), which operates buses on the country’s longest and
While the Darcha-Shinkula-Padum road is set to strengthen Indian Army at Ladakh by cutting short travel time between Manali and Kargil by one day, the Ladakh government is promoting this road to welcome tourists to the hidden valleys of the district. The word “Kargil” has been sending shivers down the spine ever since India-Pakistan war was fought in 1999. As India won the war and entire district is free from war threat due to presence of Indian Army, tourism in the area is also picking up the pace. Kargil district shares a huge border with Himachal. But the district was too far to reach by road. Now that Darcha-Shinkula-Padum road has been built, Zanskar valley of Kargil is reachable in one day from Manali and Kargil town in just two days. Now the Ladakh government is asking visitors to travel through this new road to explore the new places which were earlier unreachable. The tourism department of union territory of Ladakh is organising cultural and road shows in Himachal to promote cultural tourism in Zanskar valley and other parts of Kargil with major focus on this new road. The officials said the new road will lead visitors to hidden valleys. The officials, who organised one such cultural programme involving Ladakhi folk dance and music in Manali, said this road is going to become the foundation to new ties between Kargil and Himachal. Punchok Tashi, who looks after tourism, rural development and all affairs of Zanskar valley as an elected member of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, said, “Many people can think that why a government and officials are promoting just a road. The reality is that this is not just a road. This is path to freedom from remoteness. Many people of Zanskar had never gone out of the valley
While the Darcha-Shinkula-Padum road is set to strengthen Indian Army at Ladakh by cutting short travel time between Manali and Kargil by one day, the Ladakh government is promoting this road to welcome tourists to the hidden valleys of the district. The word “Kargil” has been sending shivers down the spine ever since India-Pakistan war
Having spent his all earnings and time in building 38km-long road across Shinkula pass to connect Ladakh’s Zanskar valley with Himachal’s Lahaul, the 79-year-old Tsultim Chinjor, who has been conferred with Padma Shri award, wants better road connectivity between Himachal and Zanskar. A resident of Stongdey village of remote Zanskar valley, lama Chinjor is among 102 recipients of Padma Shri this year. He has been conferred with this prestigious award for social work after his name was recommended by Kargil district administration. Lama has spent many years in Stongdey monastery and also served as a government employee. As a large number of villages in Zanskar were not connected with road and the lone road connecting Zanskar with Kargil used to get blocked after snowfall at Pensi-la pass, lama was searching for better road connectivity. Although Border Roads Organisation (BRO) had planned to connect Zanskar with Himachal via Shinkula pass, lama Chinjor was unhappy with the work progress. Finally, he took up the task to connect nearly 30 villages of the valley with Darcha village of Himachal’s Lahaul. He discussed his plan with the local residents and started raising funds. He finally started building road, for which he even sold his land, and built 38km road from Shinkula to Kargiakh. Lama started building the road on Shinkula pass on June 28, 2014 with help of a hired earthmover, jeep, labourers and ponies. BRO had built 27km of road beyond Darcha and lama started building road beyond this point. In first season, before onset of winter, Lama completed 13km of the jeepable road from Himachal and entered Zanskar. He had a lot more road to build to connect Kargiakh, the first village of Zanskar and then towards Padum. “I spent all my savings in building this road. People of Zanskar and some
Having spent his all earnings and time in building 38km-long road across Shinkula pass to connect Ladakh’s Zanskar valley with Himachal’s Lahaul, the 79-year-old Tsultim Chinjor, who has been conferred with Padma Shri award, wants better road connectivity between Himachal and Zanskar. A resident of Stongdey village of remote Zanskar valley, lama Chinjor is among
