Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road

Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (NPDR) or Zanskar Highway is a road between the Indian union territory of Ladakh and the state of Himachal Pradesh, passing through the region of Zanskar. It connects Nimmu in the Indus Valley to Padum, the capital of Zanskar, and to Darcha village in Lahul and Spiti. It provides an alternative to the Leh–Manali Highway in linking Ladakh with the rest of India. It was built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of the Indian Army. The construction of road was completed in March 2024. The already completed Atal tunnel, and the proposed unidirectional-twin-tube total-4-lane Shingo La Tunnel, which is expected to be completed by 2025 will provide all weather connectivity and reduce the distance from Manali to Kargil by 522 km.

It is estimated that travel on this road will only take 10-12 hours to reach Leh from Manali, as opposed to the Leh-Manali highway taking almost 14-16 hours under good weather conditions. The road is strategic for the Indian Army as it is set back from the international border and can facilitate safe troop movements. The Nimmu-Padam Darcha road is just 298 km from Manali in Himanchal Pradesh

History


The regions of Lahul (Lha yul) and Spiti (sPi ti) were earlier parts of Ladakh. They were attached to Zanskar.

By 1847, when the British Raj arrived, they were separated from Ladakh and made a part of British Punjab. Thus the connections between Zanskar and Lahul and Spiti were partly severed. Nevertheless, Lahaulis fought for the defence of Ladakh and Zanskar during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948. Major Prithi Chand trekked over the Zoji La pass in winter to arrive in Leh before the raiders from Gilgit could.

In 1979, when Ladakh was divided into two districts by the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the predominantly Buddhist region of Zanskar was attached to the Muslim-majority Kargil district. Work on the stretch of the road between Nimmu and Padum, called the Chadar Road, was begun by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Works Department in the 1970s. But it was reportedly cancelled by a member of the Legislative Assembly from Srinagar to prevent linking of Zanskar with Leh. Due to linguistic and religious similarities between Zanskar and Leh, the politicians of Kargil had apprehensions that it might eventually come under Leh's jurisdiction. So, instead of the Chadar Road, a road between Kargil and Padum was constructed.

Following the Kargil War in 1999, the unfinished Chadar Road project was handed over to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Trekkers on the Chadar trek (the frozen Zanskar River during winters) perceived the planned road as spoiling the wild and pristine environment. The central government questioned the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2007 about the need for the road. The councillor of the Lingshed constituency replied that it was a "right" and a necessity for the development of the remote and backward villages of the region.

In May 2023, the Border Roads Organisation reported that only a 15-kilometre stretch of the road remained incomplete.

On 20 June 2024, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) conducted a trial run of a bus service from Keylong in Lahaul to Padum, the first time that a bus has traversed this route. The 37-seat bus took 9 hours for the journey. Commercial service is expected to start after further formalities.

Route
The northern terminus is located at Nimmu in Ladakh, about 35 km east of Leh. The distance from Nimmu via Padum to the southern terminus at Darcha in Himachal Pradesh is 297 km. The road consists of three major sections: Nimmu - Padum, Padum - Shingo La, Shingo La - Darcha.

Nimmu terminus to Padum
The total distance from Nimmu to Padum is 156 km on the proposed alignment. Only 15 km remained to be commissioned as of May 2023. This section covers the following towns/villages:
 * Nimmu
 * Chiling
 * Nerak
 * Zangla
 * Padum

Padum to Shingo La pass
From Padum, the road runs south along the Tsarap Lingti Chu river up to Purne, a distance of 53 km. At Purne, the road crosses the river and continues along the Kargiakh Chu, a left bank tributary of the Tsarap up to Lakhang Sumdo. This distance of 39 km has a gentle gradient. Thereafter, the road climbs steeply from 4,460 m up to the Shingo La pass at 5,091 m, covering a distance of 10.5 km. The total distance covered in this segment is 102.5 km.

Shingo La to Darcha terminus
The newly-surfaced road (as of Oct '21) continues from the Shingo La pass down to the Darcha terminus. The road descends on the right bank of the Jankar Nala through Ramjak to Zanskar Sumdo, which has a helipad. The Jankar Nala enters a short gorge about 100 ft deep. On the sides of the gorge is a Buddhist shrine to the deity Palden Lhamo. The road crosses the gorge and runs along the left bank via Chikka and Rarik to meet the Leh-Manali Highway about 2 km before Darcha. This segment covers a distance of approximately 38 km.

Inter-connectivity

 * Srinagar-Leh Highway at Nimmu
 * Padum-Kargil Highway at Padum
 * Leh–Manali Highway at Darcha
 * "Sumdo-Nidder-Rhongo Road" (SNR Road), 64 km long road was completed by December 2023.

Tourism
There are several ancient Buddhist monasteries (gompa), such as the Phuktal Monastery.

This road is also the route of famous Chadar trek ('ice sheet'), the 62 km long, 8 day (including acclimatization at Leh) snowy trek which starts and ends at the motorable Shingra Koma, the trek goes to Tsomo Paldar & Tibb cave to Nerak, and then traverse back to Tsomo Paldar.