7/26/2016 Mountain 

Passes – India & Himalayas | PMF IAS

Major Passes of the Himalayas

Most of the passes remain closed in winter (Nov – Apr) due to heavy
snow fall.

Passes of the Western Himalayas

Jammu and Kashmir

SIGNIFICANCE
NAME COMMENTS
(CONNECTS)

Trijunction of India­China and

Mintaka Kashmir and
Pass Afghanistan border
China

East of Mintaka pass on the Indo­

Parpik Kashmir and
Pass China border
China

Khunjerab Kashmir and Indo­China border

Pass
China

Ladakh region of 5000 m above sea level.

India with the north of K2 Peak (the highest peak
Aghil Pass Xinjiang
in India and the second highest
(Sinkiang) peak in the world)
Province of China

2832 m

Jammu and  across the Pir­Panjal Range

remains snow covered during winter
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Srinigar remains snow covered during winter

season

The road from Jammu to Srinagar transversed Banihal

Banihal Pass until 1956 when Jawahar Tunnel was constructed
Pass
under the pass. The road now passes through the tunnel
and the Banihal Pass is no longer used for road
transport.
Another 11 km long tunnel provides railway link
between Banihal and Kazigund. It was thrown open to

railway transport in July, 2013

altitude of 5360 m
This has a temple dedicated to
Chang­La Ladakh with Tibet Chang­La Baba after whom the
temple has been named

5602 m

The world’s highest motorable road

Khardung near Leh in the passes through this pass

La
Ladakh range
remains closed in winter due to

heavy snowfall

this pass provides passage between

India and China
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India and China
Ladak and Lhasa. A road to connect
(Akasai­Chin area
Lanak La
Xinjiang Province with Tibet has
of Jammu and
been constructed by the Chinese
Kashmir)

provides the shortest and the easiest

metal road between Jammu and

Pir­Panjal across the Pir
pass Kashmir Valley. But this route had to
Panjal range
be closed down as a result of partition

of the subcontinent

Indo­China borer located at an elevation of over six

Qara Tag
La across the thousand metres
Karakoram Range

Ladakh region of
Imis La India and Tibet in
China

remains closed to traffic from

vital link between
Pensi La November to mid­May due to heavy
the Kashmir
snowfall
Valley and Kargil

The road passing through this pass

has been designated at the National

important road
Highway (NH­1D)
link between
Border Road Organisation (BRO) is
Srinagar on one
Zoji La
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Srinagar on oneMountain Passes – India & Himalayas | PMF IAS
Zoji La responsible for maintaining the road
side and Kargil
and cleaning it off snow during
and Leh on the
winter. In spite of all these efforts,
other side
the road through this pass remains
closed from December to mid­May

Himachal Pradesh

Elevation: 4,890 m
National highway connecting Mandi
in Himachal Pradesh with Leh in
Himachal Pradesh Jammu and Kashmir passes
Bara
Lacha La and Jammu and through this pass. Being situated at
Kashmir high altitude, it remains snow
covered in winter and is not used as
a transport route.

elevation of 5270 m above sea level

It offers a much easier and shorter
link between
Debsa alternative route to traditional Pin­
Pass Kullu and Spiti
Parbati Pass route between Kullu
districts
and Spiti

Elevation: 3979 m
Border Road Organisation (BRO) is
responsible for constructing and
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maintaining roads in this area.

road link between
Rohtang Rohtang pass is a great tourist
Pass Kullu, Lahul and
attraction and traffic jams are
Spiti Valleys
very common because this route is
widely used by military, public and
private vehicles.

Elevation: 6000 m
Himachal Pradesh Remains closed in winter season
Shipki La
and Tibet (Nov – Apr)

Uttarakhand

trijunction of

Uttarakhand
This pass is used by pilgrims to
Lipu Lekh (India), Tibet
Kailash­Mansarowar.
(China) and Nepal
borders

elevation of 5610
Situated a little north of the holy
place of Badhrinath
Mana Pass Uttarakhand with
Tibet Remains closed in winter season

(Nov – Apr)

Mangsha Uttarakhand with It is used by pilgrims going to

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Mangsha Uttarakhand with It is used by pilgrims going to
Dhura
Tibet Kailash­Mansarowar

Remains closed in winter season

Uttarakhand with
Niti Pass
(Nov – Apr)
Tibet

situated in the north of Gangotri

Uttarakhand and at an elevation of 5669 m in the
Muling La
Tibet Great Himalayas

Passes of the Eastern Himalayas

Sikkim

altitude of 4310 m

it forms part of an offshoot of the

ancient Silk Route

an important trade route between

India and China

It was closed after the Chinese
Nathu La Sikkim with Tibet
aggression on India in 1962 but was
reopened in 2006 as the

governments of the two countries

decided to enhance their trade

through land routes

altitude of 4538 m
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7/26/2016 Mountain Passes – India & Himalayas | PMF IAS
altitude of 4538 m

passes through Chumbi Valley

Sikkim­Bhutan
Jelep La
important link between Sikkim and
border
Lhasa

Arunachal Pradesh

altitude of 4331 m
Situated at an altitude of 4331 m
Arunachal near the western boundary of
Bom Di La Pradesh with
Bhutan in the Greater Himalayas,
Bhutan this pass connects Arunachal
Pradesh with Lhasa

Arunachal elevation of more than 4000 m it

Dihang
Pass Pradesh and provides passage
Myanmar.

Arunachal
Yonggyap
Pass Pradesh with
Tibet

easy access between Arunachal

trijunction of Pradesh and Mandalay in Myanmar.
Dipher
Pass India, China and It is an important land trade route
Myanmar between India and Myanmar and
remains open throughout the year.
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Arunachal
Kumjawng
Pass Pradesh with
Myanmar

Arunachal
Hpungan
Pass Pradesh with
Myanmar

Arunachal
Chankan
Pass Pradesh with
Myanmar

Primary References: NCERT Geography, Indian Geography by

Kullar [Amazon and Flipkart] 

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