Shinkula Pass Reopens After 3.5 Months, Restoring a Lifeline to Zanskar Valley
After being buried under snow for over three and a half months, the towering 16,580-foot-high Shinkula Pass has finally reopened for vehicular movement, bringing much-needed relief and renewed hope to the people of the remote Zanskar Valley. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO), under its Yojya Project, led the challenging operation to clear the snow-covered route and reconnect the region to Lahaul and beyond.
Braving bone-chilling temperatures plunging as low as minus 35°C, personnel from the 126 Road Construction Company (RCC) of the 13 Border Roads Task Force (BRTF) worked tirelessly to remove snow up to 40 feet deep. Their efforts have once again linked Manali to Leh via Padum and Nimmu—an essential connection for over 20,000 residents of Zanskar, who have endured isolation through the harsh winter months.
The reopening began with a symbolic flag-off ceremony, where Chief Engineer Rajesh Rai, along with other senior officials including Colonel Y.S. Tomar and Major Utkarsh Shukla, waved off the first vehicles. On the first day alone, 27 vehicles from Manali made their way to Zanskar, while 40 others moved from Lahaul to Zanskar, signaling a swift return to mobility.
“This pass is a lifeline for Zanskar Valley,” Rajesh Rai said. “Its reopening restores access, trade, and essential services for the region.” He also noted that road restoration toward Leh is underway and progressing well.
Strategically crucial, the Shinkula Pass serves as the third alternative route between Manali and Leh. To ensure year-round connectivity, plans are already in motion to construct an all-weather tunnel at the site—an ambitious step that could transform access to this rugged and remote part of the Himalayas.
For now, authorities have implemented a one-way traffic system through the pass, with safe travel hours limited from 7 AM to 11 AM. DSP Raj Kumar and Darcha Checkpost officials confirmed that all vehicles traveling from Manali on the first day reached Zanskar safely.
While tourist movement is still awaiting clearance from the Lahaul and Ladakh administrations, the reopening has lifted spirits across the region. For the people of Zanskar, it marks the end of winter’s long grip and the beginning of a season of connection, opportunity, and movement once again.
