Mapping
Source: PIB
Context: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) recently completed the strategic Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road in Ladakh.
About the Road:
The Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (NPDR) (298km), also known as the Zanskar Highway, is under construction, linking Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh via Zanskar valley. It connects Nimmu in the Indus Valley to Padum in Zanskar and Darcha village in Lahul and Spiti. Constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), it serves as an alternative to the Leh–Manali Highway, enhancing connectivity between Ladakh and the rest of India.
The road, along with the Atal Tunnel and proposed Shingo La Tunnel, aims to provide all-weather connectivity and shorten the Manali to Kargil distance by 522 km.
Significance:
The road’s strategic significance lies in its shorter distance and the crossing of only one pass. This all-weather connectivity enhances defence preparedness and boosts economic development in the Zanskar Valley.
