Yearender 2024: Amid Tensions Along The LAC, Peace Prevails In Ladakh's Border Villages

As military and diplomatic engagements in the backdrop of Ladakh standoff continued, peace prevailed along border villages of the UT, reports Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan.

Leh: Despite the persistent tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), 2024 proved to be a year of calm and resilience for villages situated near the border in Ladakh. As both nations continued their diplomatic and military engagements over unresolved border disputes, the lives of residents in these remote villages remained largely undisturbed.

Projects such as the construction of border roads, enhanced telecommunication networks, and solar-powered initiatives improved the quality of life for villagers. While 2024 was largely peaceful, the shadow of military tensions loomed in the background. Occasional reports of transgressions and skirmishes along the LAC served as a reminder of the fragile situation.

Tashi Namgyal Yakzee, Executive Councillor, LAHDC Leh said that Eastern Ladakh has always been in the spotlight, not only within India but also internationally, especially after the 2020 Ladakh standoff between India and China along the LAC.

“Developments are happening on the ground and one big initiative is the Changthang Development Package, which allocated Rs 245 crore to enhance the lifestyle of nomadic communities and improve their living conditions,” Yakzee said.

While traditionally, nomads lived in tents, Yakzee said, lately, they are provided with prefabricated houses costing Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakh each. In the Durbuk and Nyoma subdivisions, 380 windproof and insulated prefabricated houses have been distributed to shepherds and nomads, he said adding beyond housing, the Changthang Development Package includes initiatives in education and healthcare sectors, aiming for holistic development of the region.

Locals at work at a border village in Ladakh (ETV Bharat)

He said that in 2024, the Government approved a Rs 4,800 crore package for four states and Union Territories, including Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh (Uttarakhand), and Ladakh, with a focus on Eastern Ladakh.

“In 2024, we completed 320 kms of road construction in border villages. Among these, a significant achievement is the CDFD (Chushul-Dungti-Fuktse-Demchok) road, spanning 130 kms. This project holds strategic importance as it runs just two kms from the LAC, making it a critical asset for India's border infrastructure,” he said.

Yakzee stated that the government has prioritized border areas, and since 2021, 12 Cabinet Ministers have visited as part of the Vibrant Village Programme. “During their visits, they stayed in homestays in Changthang to experience and assess the facilities available in border regions. This initiative has provided a boost to the development and visibility of these areas,” he added.

Sharing similar experiences, Konchok Stanzin, Councillor Chushul, LAHDC Leh, stated, “Looking at 2024, two major friction points, Galwan and Demchok have been resolved”. “Despite the ongoing tensions along the LAC, daily life has remained unaffected and peaceful, just as before, with army deployments maintaining the same level of mirror deployment. Locally, construction and daily activities have not been impacted. However, military-level infrastructure, grazing areas, roads, and infrastructure development have faced challenges due to objections," he said.

Stanzin said that in villages farther from the LAC, there have been no objections regarding tourism, grazing, or infrastructure development. “Since 2020, the situation has improved, primarily due to the disengagement process. Earlier, the situation was tense, resembling a war-like scenario, but after the disengagement at patrolling points, most issues have been resolved. Recently, in Parliament, our External Affairs Minister discussed efforts to escalate from the de-escalation points and reduce military deployments, which is a positive sign for the region,” he said.

Rs 218 Crore Mudh Airport: A Major Development

India's highest airfield is being constructed at Mudh in Eastern Ladakh at an altitude of 13,700 feet, located 35 kilometres from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Tashi Namgyal Yakzee said that the construction of the Mudh Airport was initiated in June 2023, with an estimated cost of ₹218 crores adding 95% of the work of the project has been completed. The runway, spanning 3 kilometres in length, is already operational for emergency landings while the remaining building infrastructure is under construction, with the official inauguration expected by July 2025.

How People Feel In Border Areas

Border residents see the announcement of Changthang as a new district as a genuine and long-pending demand for the people of the area. Dorjay Stanzin from Durbuk village says, “Currently, people have some faith, though earlier there were doubts and threats along the border”.

“In recent months, the situation has improved, but we cannot fully trust China. Those of us living in border areas know that they maintain peace for a while but continue to advance. Over the last month, at Patrolling Points 13 and 14 near Daulat Beg and Galwan in the Depsang La region, our army has regained access. However, for the past two years, China has restricted access to four to five patrolling points. While our grazers are now allowed to graze with the army's permission, there is still scepticism. Despite this, daily life remains peaceful and unaffected,” Stanzin said.

An elderly woman stands by her tent at a border village in Ladakh (ETV Bharat)

“To be very honest, people in villages of eastern Ladakh are satisfied and happy now with these developments. Before 7-8 years, we do not have enough budget and many works cannot be taken up,” said Executive Councillor Tashi Namgyal Yakzee.

Road Infrastructure

The Councillors claim that the road infrastructure has improved a lot in recent years.

“Currently, a portion of UT’s SDP budget is allocated to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). One notable achievement is the construction of a 30-kilometre double-lane road from Durbuk to Pangong. This development has significantly reduced travel time from two hours to just 30 minutes. Additionally, streetlights have been installed along a 45-kilometre stretch of the Durbuk-Mor to Pangong Lake road,” Executive Councillor Tashi Namgyal Yakzee said.

Northern Grid Project Worth Rs 1350 Crore

Yakzee said that a Northern Grid project, valued at Rs 1,350 crore, has been sanctioned for the entire Changthang region and is set to be implemented on the ground by 2025. The foundation stone for this project was recently laid by the Lt Governor of Ladakh, marking a significant achievement for the development of Changthang.

Telecommunication

Yakzee further informed that telecommunication in the region has seen significant improvements over the years.

While 95% of the towers have been installed, they are yet to go live, with a commitment to complete this by the end of December. In one village, which only has two families, the government has even provided a tower to ensure connectivity. The government has installed 4G towers in the most remote and extreme border areas, enhancing connectivity in these challenging regions.

Tourism promote in Eastern Ladakh

Tourism in the Changthang area has been actively promoted across the region. Yakzee said that previously, tourists were only allowed to visit up to Pangong Lake with an Inner Line Permit. However, the Inner Line Permit has now been removed, enabling visitors to travel along the border from Chushul to Demchok, he said.

In Chushul, the Rezang La War Memorial, commemorating the 1962 battle, stands as a significant historical site for the development of which the UT Ladakh government has allocated Rs 90 lakh with the overall project cost estimated at Rs 150 crore. Additionally, disengagement has also taken place in the Depsang and Demjok (Ney Lung Lungpa) areas. The distance from Umling La to Demjok is only 10 kilometres, further enhancing the accessibility of these border regions.

According to Yakzee, previously, overnight stays were not permitted for tourists in Anlay. However, Hanley has now been designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, and this year, it experienced an overflow of visitors, with many even camping outside homestays, he added.

“After discussions with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Government of India granted permission for foreign tourists to stay overnight starting in August 2023. Similarly, overnight stays are now also allowed in the Chushul area,” said Yakzee.

He further said that since 2022, the region has remained peaceful, and the public is content with the improvements. “Previously, the Demchok area had no infrastructure, and before 2020, there were restrictions on government projects such as MGNREGA or the construction of community halls. Today, however, the community has a newly inaugurated hall, a health centre with staff deployed, streetlights, and solar water heaters for each family,” he said.

Demchok is home to 35 families, some of whom are part of Kuyul village and have separate revenue villages. Around 10–15 families reside there regularly. Yakzee suggested that it is crucial to develop infrastructure in these areas—such as roads, electricity, and telecommunications towers—to encourage people to remain in the region and prevent migration.

Key –La Tunnel worth Rs 6000 Crore sanctioned

The Government of India has sanctioned Rs 6,000 Cr for the Key-La Tunnel this year. This tunnel is a critical development, as it will eliminate the need to cross the Changla Pass.

The 8-kilometre twin tunnel will significantly improve connectivity. The UT administration has proposed four tunnels in Ladakh: Namkila, Photola, Khardungla, and Key-La. The Key-La Tunnel is especially important for border areas, as crossing Changla often leads to accidents. Once completed, this tunnel will reduce the distance to Tangtse by 30 kms—bringing it down from 120 kms to 92 kms. A compensation of Rs 12.5 crore has been provided to land owners of Tangtse and Tharuk. The tunnel is expected to be completed within two years.

Pashmina Dehairing Machine Worth Rs 9.36 Crore Installed
A pashmina dehairing machine worth Rs 9.36 crore has been installed and is operational this year and is ready to be inaugurated soon.

This year, Union Textile Minister Giriraj Singh visited Ladakh and handed over the GI Tag certificate to the Pashmina goat farmers. However, for the growers to receive fair compensation, value addition is essential. The machine has an output capacity of 10 kg per hour and is part of the Pashmina Promotion Programme (P3), which was launched in 2014 under the leadership of Santosh Kumar Gangwar, the then Textile Minister.

The next step is to focus on value addition, which will allow the farmers to produce the final product. This will not only improve livelihoods but also encourage people to continue raising livestock, as the tradition of livestock farming is gradually diminishing. Yakzee said that they are also encouraging the youth to keep this culture alive. “In the past, we used to make tents from yak skin, but this practice is now fading away,” added Yakzee.

According to Konchok Stanzin, Councillor Chushul, LAHDC Leh, since 2020, Eastern Ladakh has been in the attention of the Government largely due to extensive coverage by national and international media. The Vibrant Village Programme is currently being implemented, though the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) funds have not been received since 2020, he said.

“Looking ahead, the Vibrant Village Programme will continue, and we have requested the Finance Minister to establish a regular scheme for sustained support,” Stanzin added.

He said that relations between the army and locals remain cordial, with many projects carried out collaboratively. “Assurances have been given to allow access to traditional grazing areas in the future. The army has also contributed to education, infrastructure, and exposure initiatives,” he said.