Important Passes in India PDF

IMPORTANT PASSES IN INDIA Mountain passes are formed when land between areas of higher terrain is eroded or worn away by a glacier or a stream. These passes aid in maintaining road connectivity and have played an important role in trade. They are also strategically significant as these flat la...

IMPORTANT PASSES IN INDIA Mountain passes are formed when land between areas of higher terrain is eroded or worn away by a glacier or a stream. These passes aid in maintaining road connectivity and have played an important role in trade. They are also strategically significant as these flat lands are suitable for defensive outposts. In India, passes are mostly associated with Himalayas and a few are present along the Western Ghats. 1.PIR PANJAL PASS Pir Panjal pass is located in the Pir Panjal range in Jammu & Kashmir. Connects Jammu and Srinagar via the Mughal road. Being close to Pakistan, it was closed down after partition of the subcontinent. 2.BURZIL PASS Burzil pass is an ancient mountain pass in Gilgit Baltistan connecting Kashmir with Ladakh. The pass is situated 5000 m above the sea level. Remains closed during winter owing to the snow cover in the region. 3.BANIHAL PASS Banihal pass, located in Jammu Kashmir, connects Jammu and Srinagar. Present across the Pir Panjal range, at a height of 2832 m from the sea level. The pass remains snow covered during winter. Since the introduction of Jawahar tunnel, Banihal pass is no longer used for road transport. 4.ZOJI LA PASS Zoji La, located in Ladakh, is an important road link between Srinagar on one side and Kargil and Leh on another side. NH 1D is the road constructed through this pass. Though BRO is responsible for maintaining the road, they remain closed from December to May. 5.AGHIL PASS Aghil pass connects the Ladakh region of India with the Xinjiang province of China. The pass is located to the north of mount K2 at an elevation of 5000 m from the sea level. During the medieval period, it was connected with the Silk route of Central Asia. 6.QARA TAG LA PASS The pass, found along the Indo China border, connects Ladakh with China. Located in the Karakoram mountains at an elevation of 6000 m above sea level. Remains covered with Snow from November to May. 7.KHARDUNG LA PASS The pass is located near Leh in Ladakh. Located at around 5600 m from the sea level, the world's highest motorable road passes through this place. The pass acts as the gateway to Nubra and Shyok valley. The Siachen glacier can also be accessed through this pass. It is maintained by the Indian Army corps as the pass is used to carry essential supplies to the army posted on the Siachen border. The pass remains closed in winter due to heavy snowfall. 8.LANAK LA PASS Lanak la pass, located in the Aksai Chin region, connects India with China. The pass provides passage between Ladakh and Lhasa. The pass located 3500 m above the sea level remains closed during winter. 9.PENSI LA PASS Pensi la acts as a link between the Kashmir valley and Kargil. Lies in the Greater Himalayas to the east of Zoji la pass at an elevation of 3500 m above sea level. The pass remains closed to traffic from November to mid-May due to heavy snowfall. 10.CHANG LA PASS Located in Ladakh, connects Ladakh with Tibet. This pass through the Indus gorge and is a gateway to Changthang plateau. Located at a height of 5360 m from sea level, there is a temple dedicated to Chang La Baba after whom the temple is being named. 11.IMIS LA PASS The pass is located in the Ladakh region at an elevation of 4000 m from sea level and connects Ladakh with Tibet. Owing to heavy snowfall, it remains closed from November to April. 12.BARALACHA PASS The pass, located in Himachal Pradesh, connects Himachal Pradesh with Ladakh. National Highway connecting Mandi in Himachal Pradesh with Leh is constructed through this pass. Located at 4900 m above sea level, the pass cannot be used as a transport route during winter. 13.ROHTANG PASS The pass, located in Himachal Pradesh, acts as link between Kullu and Lahaul & Spiti. Rohtang means pile of corpses as the pass is notorious for unpredictable snowstorms. Rohtang pass is a great tourist attraction and traffic jams are very common as this route is widely used by military, public and private vehicles. 14.SHIPKI LA PASS The pass, located in Himachal Pradesh, links Himachal Pradesh and Tibet at an elevation of 6000 m above sea level. It is India's third border post for trade with China after Nathu La and Lipulekh. This pass also remains closed during winter. 15.DEBSA PASS The pass, located in Himachal Pradesh, acts as a connection between Kullu and Spiti districts. This pass located at 5200 m above sea level can act as an alternative route to the traditional Pin - Parbati pass route. 16.MANA PASS The pass connects Uttarakhand with Tibet at an elevation of 5600 m from sea level. It is located to the north of Badrinath. Occurrence of landslides and avalanches along the pass are frequent during the rainy and winter season. 17.NITI PASS The pass connects Uttarakhand with Tibet. Being at an elevation of over 4000 m, the pass remains covered in snow during the winter season. 18.MULING LA PASS Another pass which connects Uttarakhand with Tibet at an elevation of 5600 m in the Great Himalaya. It is situated to the north of Gangotri. The pass is also notorious for frequent landslides. 19.LIPULEKH PASS The pass is located at the trijunction of Uttarakhand, China and Nepal. Situated in the Greater Himalayas, the pass connects Almora and Pithoragarh with Tibet. The pass is an important border post for trade with China. It is used by pilgrims to Kailash – Mansarovar. 20.NATHU LA PASS The pass connects Sikkim with Tibet located at an elevation of 4300 m. As it forms a part of ancient Silk route, the pass acts as an important trade route between India and China. The pass was closed after the 1962 Chinese aggression but was again reopened in 2006. 21.JELEP LA PASS The pass connects Sikkim with Bhutan at an altitude of 4530 m. It passes through the Chumbi valley. 22.BOM DI LA PASS The pass links Arunachal Pradesh with Bhutan and is situated at an elevation of 4330 m above sea level. A fierce battle was fought between India and China in 1962 at this pass. 23.YONG YAP PASS The pass connects Arunachal Pradesh with Tibet Lies at an altitude of 3960 m above sea level. 24.DIHANG PASS The pass connects Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar at an elevation of 4000 m from the sea level. At an altitude of over 4000 m, it lies along the Dihang river. Landslides on this pass often create problems in transportation and communication. 25.DIPHU PASS The pass is located at the trijunction of India, China and Myanmar. It is located at an altitude of 4000 m.  The pass provides an important trade route between India and Myanmar and remains open throughout the year. 26.HALDIGHATI A mountain pass located in the Aravalli ranges of Rajasthan. It connects Rajsamund and Pali district. The pass signifies the location of the historic battle of Haldighati. 27.THAL GHAT Thalghat lies in the Western Ghats connecting Nashik with Mumbai. NH 3 and the Burhanpur Mumbai railway line pass through this ghat. Godavari has its source near thal ghat. 28.BHORGHAT Bhorghat lies in the Western Ghats connecting Mumbai with Pune. NH 9 and Mumbai - Pune - Solhapur rail line passes through the ghat, making them one of the busiest passes in the country. 29.PALGHAT A low mountain pass in the Western Ghats located between Nilgiri hills to the north and Anaimalai hills to the south. The pass links Palakkad district with Coimbatore district. The gap is important to the climate of southern India as it allows moisture laden southwest monsoon winds into the Coimbatore region which generates more rainfall in the region. NH 47 and Chennai - Ernakulam rail link pass through the gap. 30.SHENKOTAI GAP The Shenkottai gap is the second largest gap in the Western Ghats which connects the city of Madurai with Kollam in Kerala. Road - rail lines pass through this gap, which connects Shencottah and Punalur.