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Photos: Sweat and toil in Ladakh builds some of the world’s highest roads

Thousands of kilometres from their homes, a group of 13 men are toiling in the cold Ladakhi Himalayan desert to repair some of the world's highest roads. Stationed near Chang La pass which is perched at a height of 5,360 metres (17,590 feet), these workers come from the low-lying eastern state of Jharkhand and have little experience of cold climes.

Updated on: Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM IST

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Road maintenance workers ride on the back of a truck at the end of their working day along Pangong Lake road in Ladakh. Stationed near Chang La pass which is perched at a height of 5,360 metres (17,590 feet), these workers come from the low-lying eastern state of Jharkhand and have little experience of cold climes. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Road maintenance workers ride on the back of a truck at the end of their working day along Pangong Lake road in Ladakh. Stationed near Chang La pass which is perched at a height of 5,360 metres (17,590 feet), these workers come from the low-lying eastern state of Jharkhand and have little experience of cold climes. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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Raju Dheri and Surinder Tudu wash in a river next to their campsite after a day’s work. They have been hired for four months in the Tangtse district of Ladakh, where blizzards can rage throughout the year, to ensure that the key tourist route to the picturesque Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake is in good condition. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Raju Dheri and Surinder Tudu wash in a river next to their campsite after a day’s work. They have been hired for four months in the Tangtse district of Ladakh, where blizzards can rage throughout the year, to ensure that the key tourist route to the picturesque Nubra Valley and Pangong Lake is in good condition. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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Each morning the group of 13 men hop on a truck to reach the work site after a breakfast of tea and bread. They return to their basic housing tents after sunset and have a meal of rice and lentils. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Each morning the group of 13 men hop on a truck to reach the work site after a breakfast of tea and bread. They return to their basic housing tents after sunset and have a meal of rice and lentils. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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The workers toil six days a week, using only their bare hands, shovels and old sacks to move rocks and sand with the help of local Ladakhi workers, some of them women. Their back-breaking stints fetch them 40,000 rupees each. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

The workers toil six days a week, using only their bare hands, shovels and old sacks to move rocks and sand with the help of local Ladakhi workers, some of them women. Their back-breaking stints fetch them 40,000 rupees each. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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Chota Montu, 25, takes a bath on his day off at his campsite. Sundays are the only days they can do their laundry as well as bathe and shave. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Chota Montu, 25, takes a bath on his day off at his campsite. Sundays are the only days they can do their laundry as well as bathe and shave. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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The tents do not have electricity and workers rely on kerosene stoves to cook and heat up the icy water. But they are undaunted. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

The tents do not have electricity and workers rely on kerosene stoves to cook and heat up the icy water. But they are undaunted. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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“If given a chance I will come back here again,” said Sushil Tutu, 35. “I like the road work.... I like it anywhere.” Another worker Rajshekhar, 33, said the inhospitable conditions helped him save more for the future. “Back home we are unable to save money, we eat and drink and the money gets over. The work is good (here), I like the snow and the mountains. I don’t like the cold though.” (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

“If given a chance I will come back here again,” said Sushil Tutu, 35. “I like the road work.... I like it anywhere.” Another worker Rajshekhar, 33, said the inhospitable conditions helped him save more for the future. “Back home we are unable to save money, we eat and drink and the money gets over. The work is good (here), I like the snow and the mountains. I don’t like the cold though.” (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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Manoj Mandal, 19, charges his mobile phone using a solar panel at his campsite. Migration for work is common in rural India. According to the non-government Aajeevika Bureau agency, millions work in hazardous conditions with little legal or social protection. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Manoj Mandal, 19, charges his mobile phone using a solar panel at his campsite. Migration for work is common in rural India. According to the non-government Aajeevika Bureau agency, millions work in hazardous conditions with little legal or social protection. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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Tej Narayan, Rajesh Manji and Sunil Tutu wait for transportation to their work site. India’s unemployment rate has been worsening. In 2017-2018 it was 6.1%, the worst since the 1970s, posing a major challenge for newly re-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

Updated on Jul 12, 2019 12:37 PM

Tej Narayan, Rajesh Manji and Sunil Tutu wait for transportation to their work site. India’s unemployment rate has been worsening. In 2017-2018 it was 6.1%, the worst since the 1970s, posing a major challenge for newly re-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Xavier Galiana / AFP)

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