Himachal CM urges Centre to explore feasibility of opening Shipki-La route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said that Shipki-La region has served as a vital Indo-Tibetan trade route, predating modern borders
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the central government to explore the feasibility of opening Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (KMY) via Shipki-La route in Himachal Pradesh.
In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister said that Shipki-La region has served as a vital Indo-Tibetan trade route, predating modern borders. He said that it has also been a cultural corridor for Tibetan Buddhism and ancient pilgrimage paths reflecting India’s enduring civilizational ties to Kailash and Mansarovar.
He said that Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh being semi-arid and situated in a rain shadow zone like Spiti, is less prone to monsoon disruptions, which keeps the route accessible for most of the year, adding that the path from Shipki-La via Gartok towards Darchen and Mansarovar is comparatively shorter on the Tibetan side. He said that Shipki-La also offers a more stable and unambiguous corridor, making it well suited as a long term, dependable corridor for pilgrimage and cross-border connectivity.
Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh has already road connectivity up to Shipki-La via Rampur and Pooh and with focused development of base camps and supporting infrastructure, this route can be seamlessly integrated into the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra framework.
The CM further said that the state government would extend all logistical and administrative coordination to the Centre if the Shipki-La route is opened for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
