National Highway 1 (NH 1) in India runs between the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory and constitutes an eastern portion of the larger Kashmir region that has been the subject of a Kashmir#Kashmir dispute, dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and India an ...

. It comprises parts of old NH1A and NH1D. The number 1 indicates, under the new numbering system, that it is the northernmost East–west highway in India.

History

A track between

Srinagar Srinagar (; ) is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the tertiary ...

in the

Kashmir Valley The Kashmir Valley, also known as the Vale of Kashmir, is an intermontane valley in northern Jammu and Kashmir, a region in Indian-administered Kashmir.(a) (subscription required) Quote: "Kashmir, region of the northwestern Indian subcont ...

and

Leh Leh () is a city in Indian-administered Ladakh in the Kashmir#Kashmir_dispute, disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the WP:TE ...

had existed since medieval times, and it was a prime trade route for many centuries. It passed through the

Zoji La Zoji La (sometimes Zojila Pass) is a high mountain pass in the Himalayas. It is located in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir and the Kargil district of Ladakh, both union territories of India. This pass connects the Kashmir Valle ...

pass——over the Great Himalayan range, which is snowbound for half the year. After the

Independence of India The Indian independence movement was a series of historic events in South Asia with the ultimate aim of ending British Raj, British colonial rule. It lasted until 1947, when the Indian Independence Act 1947 was passed. The first nationalistic ...

, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir started building a motorable road along the route in 1954. The construction was suspended in 1958 after discovery of corruption among the contractors and engineers, and an enquiry was initiated. In 1960, the Government of India created the

Border Roads Organisation The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a statutory body under the ownership of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India. BRO develops and maintains road networks in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries. This include ...

(BRO) to take charge of strategic border roads and it was entrusted with completing the road. Setting up a 'Project Beacon' in Leh, the BRO completed the road by August 1962, and also extended it to Chushul by September 1962, just a few weeks before hostilities were initiated by China. In addition to the Zoji La pass, the highway also had to cross the

Ladakh Range The Ladakh Range is a mountain range in central Ladakh in India with its northern tip extending into Baltistan in Pakistan. It lies between the Indus and Shyok river valleys, stretching to 230 miles (370 km). Leh, the capital city of Lada ...

between

Kargil Kargil or Kargyil is a City in Indian-administered Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region. The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute is supported by the WP:TERTIARY, tert ...

and Leh, via the

Fotu La Fotu La () or Fatu La is a mountain pass on the National Highway 1D (India), Srinagar-Leh highway in the Zanskar, Zanskar Range of the Himalayas in India. At an elevation of , it is the highest point on the highway, surpassing the famed Zoji La ...

pass——which is however less snowbound than Zoji La. A segment of the highway came under attack by Pakistani intruders between Drass and Kargil in 1999, who occupied the mountain tops on the Indian side of the

Line of Control The Line of Control (LoC) is a military control line between the Indian and Pakistanicontrolled parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir—a line which does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary, but ser ...

and shelled the highway. This led to the

Kargil War The Kargil War, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Ladakh, then part of the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir (state), Jammu and Kashmir and along the Line of Control (LoC). In In ...

, which ended by the Indian Army eventually evicting the intruders.

Route description

NH 1 passes from

Uri Uri may refer to: Places * Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland * Úri, a village and commune in Hungary * Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India * Uri (island), off Malakula Island in V ...

to Baramulla,

, Sonamarg,

, Dras,

and

. The route passes through high mountain passes and most of the road clings to mountainsides. The NH is the lifeline of the

region. An alternative route, the Leh-Manali Highway, exists but it climbs over even higher mountain passes. NH 1 passes near the India-Pakistan border.

Major intersections

Traffic

The Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation (JKSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between

and

on this route with an overnight halt at

. Taxis (cars and jeeps) are also available at Srinagar for the journey.

References

Bibliography

External links

NH 1 on OpenStreetMap
National highways of India National highways in Jammu and Kashmir Transport in Ladakh National highways in Ladakh Transport in Kashmir Division Transport in Leh Transport in Baramulla {{india-NH-stub