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Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road
Road in India / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (NPD road) or Zanskar Highway[1] 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.[2] It provides an alternative to the Leh–Manali Highway in linking Ladakh with the rest of India.[3] It was built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) of the Indian Army. The construction of road was completed in March 2024.[4][5] 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.[6] [7]
Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road | |
---|---|
![]() Darcha-Padum road winding up to Shingo La, elev. 4,975m (16,322 ft) | |
Major junctions | |
North end | Nimmu, Ladakh |
South end | Darcha, Himachal Pradesh |
Location | |
Country | India |
States | Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh |
Primary destinations | |
Highway system | |
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.[3] The Nimmu-Padam Darcha road is just 298 km from Manali in Himanchal Pradesh [8]