The Prime Minister inaugurated the new passenger terminal at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, built at a cost of ₹640 crore…reports Asian Lite News Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated five major development projects worth ₹3,350 crore in Ladakh, covering airport infrastructure, road connectivity, renewable energy, heritage conservation and water security.
Addressing a gathering virtually, Modi said the projects would improve travel, strengthen electricity infrastructure, increase water availability and help preserve the region’s ancient heritage.
“Today, one more chapter is being added to the development and progress in Ladakh,” he said, congratulating residents on the projects.
The initiatives include a new passenger terminal at Leh airport, a strategic road connecting Ladakh with Himachal Pradesh, a small hydropower project, a transmission line and India’s first petroglyph conservation park.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the new passenger terminal at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, built at a cost of ₹640 crore.
Spread across 23,800 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle 3.5 million passengers annually, up from the airport’s existing capacity of one million.
The facility incorporates geothermal energy to improve energy efficiency and reduce its carbon footprint, an important consideration in Ladakh’s environmentally sensitive landscape.
The expanded terminal is expected to support rising passenger traffic and improve airport infrastructure in the high-altitude Union Territory.
Modi also dedicated the 298-kilometre Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road to the nation. Built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the route connects Nimmu in Leh with Darcha in Himachal Pradesh through the remote Zanskar Valley.
The road provides an alternative route to Ladakh alongside the existing Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways. Its strategic location and connectivity are significant for a region where harsh winters and difficult terrain can disrupt transport.
The additional corridor is intended to improve access to remote settlements and provide another route for movement into Ladakh.
As part of efforts to strengthen energy infrastructure and utilise the region’s renewable energy potential, the Prime Minister inaugurated the 9-megawatt Hanu Small Hydroelectric Project.
He also inaugurated the 66-kilovolt double-circuit Dah-Hanu-Khaltsi transmission line, which is intended to strengthen electricity transmission in the area.
The projects form part of wider efforts to improve energy availability in a region where geography and extreme weather pose challenges for infrastructure development.
The inauguration package also included India’s first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat in Leh, aimed at protecting ancient rock carvings that form part of Ladakh’s archaeological heritage.
The initiative seeks to improve the preservation and presentation of these historical markings, which offer insights into the region’s past.
Separately, 40 water bodies developed across 40 villages under Project Him Sarovar are intended to improve water conservation and availability. The initiative addresses Ladakh’s distinctive geographical and climatic conditions and aligns with the objectives of Mission Amrit Sarovar.
Modi also referred to snowfall in Zanskar during his address, praising the enthusiasm of residents who waved the Indian national flag despite the weather.
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