Category: Ladakh

Ladakh

Ladakh on road to all-year connectivity

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Centre invites global bids for 14.08-km-long Zojila tunnel, set to be the longest in South-East Asia To meet the long-pending demand for an all-weather road to Ladakh, the Centre has taken the first step for construction of South-East Asia’s longest Zojila tunnel connecting Kashmir’s Sonmarg with the Gumri area in Kargil district. For the execution of the project, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, headed by Nitin Gadkari, has invited international bids for Expression of Interest. The bids will be opened on January 14 next year. The 14.08-km-long…

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Ladakh residents suffer as Air India reduces number of flights to Leh

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The air connectivity to the Ladakh region has been badly affected since the start of December as airlines have reduced the number of flights to the region. One of the three airlines flying to Leh from Delhi — Jet Airways — has withdrawn its operation since the first week of December, while Air India has reduced its flights from seven to three per week. Only GoAir is operating a daily flight on the Delhi-Leh sector. With no other mode of transport for people of Ladakh to travel from Leh to…

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A year that changed the political landscape of region

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2015 THE YEAR THAT WAS: LADAKH From nature’s fury to political excitement, Ladakh — the cold desert of the country — witnessed bad and good times in the year gone by. The BJP wresting control over the powerful decision-making body, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, for the first time in its history, hogged the limelight in the state and at the national level. The year also changed the political landscape of the region as the Congress, which was a major political force in Ladakh before 2015, lost its…

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Ladakh House in Jammu converted into Leh House, allege Kargil residents

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Allegations are being levelled against the custodians of Ladakh House for converting it to Leh House near Jammu railway station. This has forced the people of Kargil to convert the VIP House near Bahu Plaza complex as serai (a rest place for general public) for the people of Kargil. They alleged that the people of Leh had taken over the Ladakh House and Kargil people have no place to stay. “This house has been converted into Leh House whereas it was meant for the people of the whole Ladakh region,…

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Cold desert getting warmer, remedial measures stressed

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A gradual rise in temperature and receding glaciers during summer have turned out to be a challenge for people of the cold desert in Ladakh. Experts and local residents believe that some “drastic and immediate remedial measures” are required to deal with the changing climate in the region. What is more worrying is that “glacier lake bursts” (melting of glaciers and formation of lakes), which is triggering floods in Ladakh, has become a regular phenomenon. Man-induced anthropogenic interference and global warming are attributed as the main reasons for it. “In…

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Sgr-Leh highway opens for one way traffic

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One-way traffic resumes on highway connecting Ladakh with Kashmir after 6 days Traffic on the highway, connecting the Ladakh region with Kashmir valley was restored from Thursday after remaining suspended from December 11 due to snowfall and slippery road conditions. However, the administration has already announced to close the highway for winter months from December 20 to avoid any accident due to slippery road conditions as the mercury drops to below minus 10 degree Celsius to minus 15 degree at several places. Traffic police sources said, “We allowed one-way traffic…

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Proud moment for Ladakh: Two locals attend UN conference

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Two persons from the Ladakh region, representing India at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 21 or CMP 11) in Paris, have brought a proud moment for the remote region. Jigmet Takpa, Chief Conservator of Forests, Ladakh, and Director, Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency, Leh, and Stanzin Dorjai Gia, Director, Himalaya Film House, who belongs to remote Gya village, 70 km east of Leh, are representing India at the conference. Takpa was officially invited by the general secretary of COP 21 to attend the conference from November 30…

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Srinagar-Leh highway closed, 400 vehicles stranded

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The 434-km Srinagar-Leh highway—connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir Valley—was closed for traffic on Thursday evening after fresh snowfall in Zojilla area, officials said. Riyaz Ahmad, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Ganderbal told that the decision to re-open the highway will be taken after green signal from the Border Roads Organization and Vijayak, responsible for clearing the thoroughfare. “The BRO cleared the road up to Zero Point from Sonamarg side but fresh snow hampered further clearance,” he said. The DSP said 400 vehicles from Drass and Sonamarg side are stranded on…

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Kargil BJP pitches for opening Kargil-Skardu road to allow divided families meet

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Welcoming Deputy Chief Minister’s statement regarding opening of LoC routes, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and its youth organisation Bhartiya Janata Yuva Morhca (BJYM) today appreciated the proposed move. BJP State Executive Member Mohammad Subhan Jaffary said BJP Kargil welcomes and appreciates this statement of Deputy CM and appeals Government of India and the State government to go ahead with this pro-people step. In its statement, BJP Kargil said, “We think we cannot win the hearts and minds of people of State until we address their demands.” Reminding about protests, BJP…

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Rs 21,000 cr in Ladakh’s kitty from PM’s package

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Emphasis to be on better road connectivity, power supply in arid region The Ladakh region has been allocated nearly Rs 21,000 crore for various projects under the Prime Minister’s Rs 80,000-crore package for the state. The prime focus will be on an all-weather road to the region which generally remains cut off from the rest of the country for almost six months due to closure of the 434-km-long Srinagar-Kargil-Leh highway and the 474-km-long Manali-Leh highway in harsh winters. The power sector is another key area that will be given a…

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