Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and dedicated five development projects worth around Rs. 33.5 bn in Ladakh through video conferencing. The projects are intended to improve connectivity, electricity and water access, support tourism and agriculture, and conserve the region’s cultural heritage.

The 6.5 bn-rupee Kushok Bakula Rinpoche Airport terminal in Leh was inaugurated after its flight capacity expanded threefold. Annual passenger handling is set to rise from 1 mn to 3.5 mn. The terminal uses geothermal heating and solar energy, technologies suited to Ladakh’s harsh climate and intended to reduce the environmental impact of infrastructure growth.

The Prime Minister also dedicated the Rs. 25 bn Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road, which cuts travel time between key locations from 12 hours to three hours. The corridor is expected to support trade, business and tourism. He also dedicated the Hanu hydroelectric project and its transmission network, while noting continuing power-generation efforts in Puga Valley.

Forty reservoirs constructed under Project Amrit Him Sarovar were dedicated to the local community to strengthen irrigation and water security. The Prime Minister said Ladakh’s road network had expanded from 1,800 km to more than 4,000 km since it became a Union Territory in 2019, while tap-water coverage had increased from 3.5 per cent to nearly 99 per cent of households.

The address also highlighted winter and adventure tourism, the upgrading of more than 40 border settlements, and the growth of homestays from around 150 to 3,000. A Centre of Excellence is being built in Leh, with proposals for satellite campuses of IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu. Ladakh’s sports policy, BharatNet expansion, greenhouses, local products and the first Petroglyph Conservation Park in Leh were presented as further measures to expand opportunity and preserve heritage.