Overview

• In a letter to Prime Minister Modi, Sukhu highlights Shipki-La’s legacy as an ancient Indo-Tibetan trade and Buddhist pilgrimage corridor
• The pass’s semi-arid, rain-shadow terrain makes it less prone to monsoon disruptions, allowing near-year-round access
• Crossing via Shipki-La and Gartok offers a shorter path on the Tibetan side to Darchen and Lake Mansarovar
• Road connectivity from Rampur and Pooh already reaches Shipki-La, with only base camps and support facilities needing development
• Opening this route could boost socio-economic development in Kinnaur’s tribal communities under the Vibrant Village Programme