Important Mountain Passes in India | UPSC | Geography

  • A pass is a gap, or break, in high, rugged terrain such as a mountain ridge. A pass forms when a glacier or stream erodes, or wears away, the land between areas of higher terrain. Passes often provide the easiest routes for people to travel across steep mountain ranges.
  • The 2,400 km-long and 400 km-wide Himalaya, stretching from the Karakoram in the West to the Namche Barwa in the East, crosses five countries – India, Bhutan, Nepal, China and Pakistan.
  • The Indian Himalayan arc starts at Kashmir and passes through Himachal Pradesh, Kumaon, Garhwal, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. Besides this, there are four parallel zones
    • the Siwaliks at 3,000ft;
    • Pir Panjal and the Dauladhar ranges whose average height is 10,000ft;
    • the Greater Himalaya with giant peaks rising from 18,000ft to the highest summit of Mt. Everest at 29,028ft; and
    • the Trans-Himalayan Range on the rain shadow slopes that holds the Ladakh, Zanskar and the Eastern Karakoram Ranges with peaks between 18,000ft and 28,150ft (K2).
  • There are Passes that help to cross over from East to West and North to South. In contemporary languages of North India, ‘Darra’, ‘cols’ and ‘La’ are both utilized interchangeably to denote pass.
  • Alexander, the Great Macedonian Emperor, came to conquer this country through the Khyber Pass in the Himalaya. Trade and commerce flourished between India and the Central Asian Countries.
  • While Atisha, the great Buddhist monk carried the word of Buddha to parts of Tibet and China and to all those places lying on the Silk Route, Adi Sankara moved through the Himalayan Passes establishing the doctrines of our Sanathana Dharma.

Read also: Foundation Course For IAS/IPS/UPSC: The Ultimate Guide

The rugged terrain and the harsh climatic conditions did not discourage travellers such as Fa Hein and Hiuen Tsang from entering India through the many formidable ‘saddle points’ or cols (passes) carved through the snowbound Himalayan mountain range.

Important Passes in India

Pass Location Significance
1. Umling La Ladakh • Umling La is the highest motorable pass in the world and has been recognised as such by the United Kingdom-based Guinness World Records.

o The road betters the previously held record of a road in Bolivia, enroute to Uturuncu volcano.

• It was built by India’s Border Roads Organisation (BRO) under Project Himank.

• Incidentally, the road is at a higher altitude than the North and South Base Camps of Mount Everest.

• This new road now connects important regions and towns in the Chumar sector of eastern Ladakh.

• It offers an alternative direct route for locals between Chisumle and Demchok from Leh.

2. Zoji La Great Himalayas • It is an important road link from Srinagar to Kargil and Leh.

• It offers an essential connection between Kashmir and Ladakh.

3. Banihal Pass Pir Panjal Range

 

• It forms the main gateway to the Vale of Kashmir from the Indian plains.

• The Jammu–Srinagar road enters the pass through the Jawahar Tunnel.

4. Photu La Zaskar Range

 

5. Khardung La Ladakh Range

 

• Up till recently, the Khardungla Pass was the world’s highest motorable road for the general public at a height of 18,380 feet
6. Diphu Pass   The Arunachal Himalayas extend from the east of the Bhutan Himalayas up to the Diphu pass in the east.

• Diphu Pass marks the Western extremity of the China-Myanmar boundary which is disputed by India.

7. Jelap La  

 

• Jelep Pass lies in the Dongkya Range on the border of Sikkim and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

• The snow-covered mountainous trail that used to connect Lhasa in Tibet via the Jelep La Pass to India is an ancient and spectacular one.

• In the old days knowledge was exchanged, art and culture was disseminated and, of course, silk was traded.

• In the 19th Century, the East India Company came to an understanding with the Chogyal of Sikkim to use the route, mainly for trading/importing tea from China. 

Chumbi Valley

• The Chumbi Valley is the gateway of two major passes — Jelep La and Nathu La.

o The road beyond Jelep La at the India-Bhutan-Tibet trijunction passes through Chumbi Valley.

• It also juts out as an inverted triangle, on the tri-junction of Bhutan, China and India, terminating in close proximity of the Siliguri corridor—the narrow passage that connects the North-East with the rest of India.

• The Chumbi valley in Tibet was also at the heart of the Doklam stand-off between Indian and Chinese troops recently.

8. Chang La  

 

• It connects Ladakh and Tibet with the Pangong lake lying enroute.
9. Bomdi La  

 

• It connects Arunachal Pradesh with Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet.

 

10. Nathu La

 

  • It links the state of Sikkim in India with the Tibetan Autonomous Region in China.

• It is an offshoot of the ancient Silk Route.

• It is one of the routes of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

• It is one of the Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

• Ceremonial BPMs are generally held on National Days.

• It is seen as an opportunity for each side to showcase its traditions and cultural diversity to the other.

• There are five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh, and Nathu La in Sikkim.

Chumbi Valley

• The Chumbi Valley is the gateway of two major passes — Jelep La and Nathu La.

• It also juts out as an inverted triangle, on the tri-junction of Bhutan, China and India, terminating in close proximity of the Siliguri corridor—the narrow passage that connects the North-East with the rest of India.

11. Sela Pass   • The Sela pass is located between the Tawang and West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh and considered crucial from strategic perspective.

• Recently, government announced the plan to build a tunnel through the Sela Pass which will ensure faster movement of troops in Tawang, a strategically- located town in Arunachal Pradesh bordering China.

• On completion, Sela Tunnel will be the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at an altitude above 13,800 feet.

12. Shipki La Himachal Pradesh • It is located on the border between India and China.

• The Sutlej River moves into India from Tibet via this pass.

• The bilateral trade through Shipki La pass reopened in 1993 after it was shut due to the Indo-China war in 1962.

13. Karakoram Pass   • It connects Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Valley.

• The southern portion of the pass is more desolate than the north.

• There is no icecap or foliage and it is usually without snow because of the breezes.

• The mighty Karakoram Pass (18,900ft) known as the skeleton trail, at India’s northern most borderline, passes through Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO- where the faceoff between China and India took place) to Kashgar.

14. Bum La Arunachal Pradesh It is one of the Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.

Ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

• Ceremonial BPMs are generally held on National Days.

• It is seen as an opportunity for each side to showcase its traditions and cultural diversity to the other.

• There are five BPM points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at Bum La and Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Daulat Beg Oldi and Chushul in Ladakh, and Nathu La in Sikkim.

15. Rohtang Pass Himachal Pradesh • In Himachal Pradesh, the Rohtang Pass links Kullu with the Lahul and Spiti valleys; the Barlacha La connects with Jammu and Kashmir and Shipki La leads to Tibet.

• The strategic Atal Tunnel, world’s longest highway tunnel at 10,000 feet, is located below the Rohtang Pass

So, is all-winter connectivity to Ladakh around the corner?

• No, that goal is still some years away. More tunnels will have to be built to tackle the high passes which fall beyond Rohtang.

o  Rohtang connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh.

• While Rohtang Pass is at a height of 13,050 feet, the pass on the road to Leh is Baralacha La at 16,040 feet. A 13.2-km long tunnel would be required to bypass this pass.

• Further down the highway comes Lachung La Pass at 16,800 feet, that will require a 14.78 km-long tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity.

• Thereafter falls the Tanglang La pass at 17,480 feet, which will need a 7.32 km-long tunnel.

16. Barlacha La
17. Shipki La
18. Lipu Lekh, Mana and Niti Passes Uttarakhand • In Uttarakhand, Lipu Lekh that lies in the tri-junction of India, China and Nepal Borders, is used by pilgrims heading to Mt. Kailash-Manasarovar; Mana and Niti Passes connect with Tibet.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

• Pilgrims from India can reach Kailash Mansarovar through three routes — via Nathu La in Sikkim, Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Kathmandu in Nepal.

• The Kailash-Mansarovar road alignment is along the Kali river, which is the boundary between India and Nepal.

• The end point of road is at Lipulekh Pass, a tri-junction of India, China and Nepal.

• To access Kailash through Sikkim, China and India opened the Nathu La border point in 2015.

• Being significant to Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists.

• The Yatra is organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the journey beyond the International Border is overseen by Chinese authorities.

19. Yonggyap Pass   • The Yonggyap Pass connects Arunachal Pradesh with Tibet.
20. Palghat Gap

 

  • It is a major break in the Western Ghats mountain range.

It is located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and the Anaimalai Hills to the south.

• It is about 20 miles (32 km) wide and straddles the Kerala–Tamil Nadu border, serving as a major communication route between those two states.

• Palghat Gap also influences southern India’s climate; the wet southwest monsoons as well as storms from the Bay of Bengal cross the mountains through the opening.

21. Fotu La   • Fotu La pass lies on the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.
22. Mintaka Pass   • It is located at the tri-junction of India, China and Afghanistan.
23. Lanak La   • The Tibet-Xinjiang National Highway G219 passes through this pass.
24. Kela Pass   • It connects Leh to the Pangong Lake through one of world’s highest motorable roads for the general public at a height of 18,600 feet.

 

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