New Delhi, Oct. 15 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually inaugurated five development projects worth around Rs 3,350 crore in Ladakh, covering airport infrastructure, strategic road connectivity, power supply, water conservation and heritage preservation, while stressing that special attention was being given to the Union Territory's youth.

"Our special focus is on the new generation of Ladakh. The youth should receive good education, get opportunities to learn new technology, and not depend on other cities," Modi said, adding that a major centre of excellence was being established in Leh. Proposals to set up satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu were also being advanced to improve access to higher education, research and skill development in the region.

The projects include a Rs 640-crore passenger terminal at Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, spread over 23,800 square metres and designed to handle 35 lakh passengers annually. Equipped with geothermal heating, the terminal is India's first airport terminal with the facility and aims to improve energy efficiency while reducing its carbon footprint. Modi said the modern infrastructure would also give a boost to tourism.

He also dedicated the 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), connecting Leh with Darcha in Himachal Pradesh through the remote Zanskar Valley. Traversing the high-altitude Shinkun La Pass, the road provides an alternative route to Ladakh alongside the Srinagar-Leh and Manali-Leh highways, strengthening military logistics and improving access to healthcare, education and markets. Modi said a journey that earlier took around 12 hours could now be completed in three.

The other projects include the 9 MW Hanu small hydroelectric project and the 66 kV double-circuit Dah-Hanu-Khaltsi transmission line, aimed at improving power supply and strengthening the region's electricity network. The Prime Minister also inaugurated India's first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat in Leh to preserve prehistoric rock carvings depicting wildlife, human figures and symbolic representations.

Under Project Him Sarovar, 40 water bodies developed across 40 villages were inaugurated to conserve water and address seasonal shortages faced by farmers during sowing.

The initiative seeks to store water when available and ensure its supply when required, supporting irrigation and long-term water security.

Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the projects would be milestones in Ladakh's development, strengthening connectivity, water security, power supply and cultural heritage preservation.

"Five new infrastructure projects would prove to be milestones in Ladakh's development, strengthening connectivity, water security, power supply and preservation of cultural heritage," Saxena said.

He said Ladakh had witnessed significant improvements in infrastructure and living standards since becoming a Union Territory in 2019. Highlighting agricultural progress, he said more than 11,000 greenhouses now enabled farmers to grow vegetables locally and supply them to defence forces through cooperatives.

Saxena also highlighted progress in road connectivity, drinking water supply and support for Pashmina herders, and said the completion of the Zojila Tunnel would address a major challenge posed by winter isolation. He urged Modi to inaugurate the tunnel once completed.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.