Nimmu-Padam-Darcha Road

About Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road

• The Nimmu-Padum-Darcha road (NPDR), also known as the Zanskar Highway, serves as a vital link between the Indian Union territory of Ladakhand the state of Himachal Pradesh, traversingthrough the picturesque region of Zanskar, Ladakh.
• It is an all-weather 298-km long road from Manali (Himachal Pradesh) to Leh (Ladakh) through Darcha and Nimmu on the Kargil–Leh Highway.
• It was constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• It is now the third axis, apart from Manali-Leh Road (428 km) and Srinagar-Leh Road (439 km), which connects Ladakh to the hinterland. 
• It derives its strategic importance from the fact that it is not only shorter vis-a-vis the other two axes, but crosses only one pass—Shinkun La (16,558 feet)—on which tunnel work is about to commence by the BRO.
• It will be the first all-weather roadconnecting Ladakh to the rest of the country.
• The connectivity will strengthen defence preparedness and provide a boost to economic development in the Zanskar valley.

Q1: What is the Border Roads Organisation (BRO)?

The BRO is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to Indian Armed Forces.It was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India's borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.Officers and personnel from the General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) form the parent cadre of the BRO.

Source: Shortest route to Ladakh now open from Manali: Distance, time, toll, and more