MHA gives nod to foreigners’ overnight stay at Hanle, Martsemik & Sko Valley in Ladakh

UT Admin says ‘MHA approves proposal on Sept 14’; will give boost to tourism in cold desert

Jammu: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the proposal of Ladakh tourism department to allow the overnight stay for foreign tourists at village Hanle, and Martsemik and Sko Valley in the Union Territory.
Until recently, Hanle was off-limits to foreign tourists. Only domestic tourists were allowed to visit the high-altitude village which has already been notified as a Dark Sky Reserve by the Wildlife Department of the UT Administration of Ladakh.
It has been perceived that Dark Sky tourism has seen quite a growth in recent years and the opening of Hanle to all tourists including domestic and international, is expected to bring a lot of tourism in the region. A dark sky reserve is an area where light pollution is monitored. Basically, there are several restrictions around the reserve where humans are not allowed to have any loud source of light.
According to an official statement, the Tourism Department, UT of Ladakh had sent a proposal for allowing night stay for foreign tourists at Hanle in view of the promotion of Hanley village as a major astro tourism destination. “Further, Hanle has already been notified as a Dark Sky Reserve by the Wildlife Department of the UT Administration of Ladakh and as such stay of tourists, both domestic and foreigners, are required to stay overnight to experience the dark sky and astro-tourism of Hanle,” it said.
It further said the UT administration has been persistently following the case with the MHA, Government of India and as a consequence the MHA, in a circular issued on September 14, has considered the proposal of the UT Administration and allowed night stay for foreign tourists at village Hanle in the UT of Ladakh.
Hanle is a small village in the Changthang region, approximately 270 km south-east of Leh. Within Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, the six hamlets of Bhok, Shado, Punguk, Khuldo, Naga and Tibetan Refugee habitations together form a cluster or an area which has been officially notified as the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve. Earlier, Hanle only had the Indian Astronomical Observatory. Now, a total area of 1,073 km around Hanle is a dark sky reserve.
On July 5: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Brig (Dr) B D Mishra had taken up the matter for permitting the foreign tourists for night-stay at Hanle with the Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh.
“The Department of Tourism, UT of Ladakh had also sent a proposal for opening up Martsemik and Sko Valley for tourism and trekking in the UT of Ladakh. After persistent follow up, the MHA, in its communication on September 14, has approved the proposal of the UT administration of Ladakh and allowed opening of Martsemik and Sko Valley for tourism and trekking in the UT of Ladakh,” it said.

Updated On 9/29/2023 2:56:20 AM