PM Modi Inaugurates Five Projects Worth Rs 3,350 Crore in Ladakh Through Virtual Participation

New Delhi, Oct 15 (KNN) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and dedicated five development projects worth around Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh through virtual participation.

The projects include the new terminal building at Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport in Leh, the Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road, the Hanu hydroelectric project and its associated transmission network, 40 reservoirs under Project Amrit Him Sarovar, and a Petroglyph Conservation Park in Leh.

The airport terminal, built at a cost of around Rs 650 crore, is designed to increase annual passenger-handling capacity from 10 lakh to 35 lakh. It incorporates geothermal heating and solar energy systems.

The Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road, developed at a cost of around Rs 2,500 crore, is expected to reduce travel time between the connected areas from 12 hours to three hours.

The Hanu hydroelectric project includes an associated transmission network, while the 40 reservoirs constructed under Project Amrit Him Sarovar are intended to provide water for irrigation.

The Prime Minister said that since Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, its road network had expanded from 1,800 km to more than 4,000 km. 

The number of major bridges increased from 19 to nearly 75, while helipads rose from seven to more than 40. Household tap-water coverage increased from 3.5 per cent to nearly 99 per cent, and hospital beds doubled, he said.

Modi also cited the development of more than 40 border settlements under the Vibrant Villages Programme, an increase in homestays from around 150 to 3,000, and approximately 11,000 operational greenhouses in the region.

Other initiatives mentioned included a Centre of Excellence in Leh, proposals for satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu, expanded internet connectivity, and Ladakh's new sports policy.

The Prime Minister also referred to the government's approval in August for establishing a High Court Bench in Ladakh and initiatives to expand market access for local products, including Pashmina, sea-buckthorn, handicrafts and GI-tagged apricots.

The Petroglyph Conservation Park in Leh was inaugurated to preserve the region's ancient rock art.

(KNN Bureau)