Leh, Jan 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Leh in April to inaugurate the new terminal building of Leh Airport along with a set of key strategic and civilian infrastructure projects in the Union Territory of Ladakh, according to official sources.
The airport terminal, whose foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister on February 3, 2019, is expected to be completed by April, marking a major upgrade in air connectivity to the high-altitude region.
Sources said work on the new terminal is progressing at a pace, even as Leh Airport continues to function normally, handling commercial flights without disruption. The upcoming terminal has been designed as a modern, high-capacity facility with 20 check-in counters, centralised heating and cooling systems, and the ability to handle around 1,000 passengers each in arrivals and departures. It is also being positioned as a model for sustainable aviation, with plans to run on a hybrid of geothermal and solar power, significantly reducing carbon emissions.
The inauguration is expected to coincide with the completion of several other infrastructure projects in Ladakh, including roads, tunnels and highways, which the government has said are crucial both for defence preparedness along the Line of Actual Control with China and for boosting tourism and civilian mobility.
Ahead of the proposed visit, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta met Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi and briefed him on the overall development scenario in the Union Territory. Officials said the discussions covered major infrastructure projects, welfare schemes, road and air connectivity, healthcare and education in remote and border areas, and initiatives aimed at sustainable tourism and livelihood generation for local youth. The Prime Minister was said to have appreciated the administration’s focus on inclusive growth and reiterated the Centre’s continued support for Ladakh’s development.
Parallel to these developments, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has been examining an alternative governance proposal for Ladakh following the announcement of five new districts—Sham, Nubra and Changthang in Leh, and Zanskar and Drass in Kargil. While the New District Committee had recommended separate Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for each of the seven districts, officials said an alternate proposal under consideration is the creation of Territorial Councils for the original Leh and Kargil districts to maintain the status quo.
Under this proposal, the Territorial Council of Leh would exercise authority over Leh, Sham, Nubra and Changthang, while the Kargil Territorial Council would cover Kargil, Zanskar and Drass. Officials said amendments to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1997, have already been examined to accommodate either option. Formal notification of the new districts is expected after approval of financial allocations and sanction of posts, following which administrative units such as tehsils and patwar halqas would be created. However, officials acknowledged that making the new districts fully functional could take time due to infrastructure and staffing requirements.
