New Delhi, 15 October (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated five development projects worth approximately Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh through video conferencing. The projects are expected to strengthen air connectivity, strategic road infrastructure, electricity supply, cultural heritage conservation and water security across the region.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister said that a new chapter was being added to Ladakh’s progress and development. He noted that the projects would make travel easier, improve access to electricity and water, and provide fresh impetus to the preservation of the region’s ancient heritage. He also commended the engineers, workers, local residents and personnel of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for their contributions to the completion of the projects.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the new passenger terminal building at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 640 crore. Spread across nearly 23,800 square metres, the terminal will increase the airport’s annual passenger-handling capacity from one million to approximately 3.5 million. It incorporates a geothermal heating system to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Equipped with modern passenger amenities and architectural elements reflecting Ladakh’s cultural heritage, the new terminal is also expected to boost tourism in the region.

PM Modi also dedicated the 298-kilometre Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road to the nation. Built at a cost of approximately Rs 2,500 crore, the road connects Nimmu in Leh with Darcha in Himachal Pradesh, passing through the Zanskar Valley. The Prime Minister said that a journey that previously took around 12 hours could now be completed in approximately three hours. The improved connectivity is expected to facilitate local travel and benefit trade and commercial activities. In addition to the Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways, the road will provide an alternative connectivity route and strengthen the movement of armed forces and the transportation of supplies to remote border areas.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated a nine-megawatt small hydropower project and the 66-kilovolt double-circuit Dah-Hanu-Khalsi transmission line. These projects are expected to improve the reliability of electricity supply and strengthen the transmission of generated power.

In addition,PM Modi inaugurated India’s first petroglyph conservation park at Sindhu Ghat in Leh. The park is intended to preserve the region’s ancient rock art and engraved figures, raise public awareness about their historical significance, and promote heritage tourism.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated 40 reservoirs developed across 40 villages in Ladakh under Project Amrit Him Sarovar. The initiative aims to conserve water and improve the management of available water resources. The reservoirs are expected to help farmers access water during critical sowing periods, improve irrigation facilities and support more sustainable agricultural livelihoods.

PM Modi said the Union Government was giving priority to Ladakh’s development and to creating better opportunities for the region’s younger generation. A Centre of Excellence is being developed in Leh, while proposals to establish satellite campuses of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu are also being advanced. These initiatives are expected to enable young people to pursue higher education, research, technology and skill development opportunities within their own region.

Highlighting Ladakh’s sporting potential, the Prime Minister said that young people from the region had established a distinctive presence in ice hockey, winter sports and mountaineering. Through a new sports policy, efforts are being made to nurture sporting talent and provide athletes with better training and facilities, enabling them to achieve success at national and international levels.

PM Modi observed that Ladakh’s natural conditions posed distinctive challenges to everyday life, but previous governments had not accorded sufficient priority to the region’s development. He said that Ladakh’s progress was now an important priority for the Union Government and expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated projects would strengthen the region’s infrastructure and improve the quality of life of its people.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar