Mountain passes are high-altitude crossings through mountain ranges that serve as strategic corridors for trade, defence, and pilgrimages. Most Himalayan passes are closed from October to April due to snowfall. UPSC frequently tests which pass connects which regions, the mountain range it belongs to, and its strategic significance. BRO (Border Roads Organisation) has been transforming several passes into all-weather corridors through tunnel construction — a major recent-affairs topic.

Himalayan and Other Passes

Pass Mountain Range State/UT Connects Altitude Strategic/Trade Importance
Mig La Ladakh Range Ladakh Hanle to Fukche (near LAC) 5,913 m (19,400 ft) World's highest motorable road (as of Oct 2025); BRO Project Himank; Likaru-Mig La-Fukche route; near Line of Actual Control
Umling La Ladakh Range Ladakh Chisumle to Demchok (near LAC) 5,799 m (19,024 ft) BRO Project Himank; opened 2017; held Guinness World Record as world's highest motorable road until Oct 2025 when Mig La surpassed it; near India-China border
Khardung La Ladakh Range Ladakh Leh to Nubra Valley (Siachen supply route) 5,359 m (17,582 ft) BRO maintained; key Siachen Glacier supply line; historically (and incorrectly) called world's highest motorable pass — that record now belongs to Mig La
Chang La Ladakh Range Ladakh Leh to Pangong Tso 5,360 m Route to Pangong Lake; used by defence forces
Tanglang La Ladakh Range Ladakh Upshi to Pang (Leh-Manali Highway) 5,328 m On NH-3 (Leh-Manali Highway)
Bara Lacha La Zanskar Range HP/Ladakh border Lahaul (HP) to Ladakh 4,890 m On Leh-Manali Highway; source of Bhaga and Yunam rivers
Shinkhun La (Shinkun La) Zanskar Range HP-Ladakh (Nimu-Padam-Darcha Road) Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh (Zanskar) 4,820 m (15,800 ft) Under-construction tunnel (4.1 km twin-tube, ₹1,681 cr); first blast by PM Modi Jul 2024; will be world's highest tunnel when complete (~2028); third all-weather highway to Ladakh
Zoji La Great Himalaya J&K / Ladakh border Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) to Drass-Kargil 3,528 m (11,575 ft) Only road between Kashmir and Ladakh; Zoji La Tunnel (14.2 km, under construction, revised completion 2028) will provide all-weather connectivity; strategic 1947 war importance
Banihal Pass Pir Panjal Range J&K Jammu to Srinagar (Kashmir Valley) 2,832 m Jawahar Tunnel beneath it; Banihal-Qazigund rail tunnel
Pir Panjal Pass Pir Panjal Range J&K Pir Panjal Range crossing ~3,490 m Historic; gave name to Pir Panjal Range
Rohtang Pass Pir Panjal Range HP Manali to Lahaul-Spiti 3,978 m NH-3; Atal Tunnel (Rohtang) opened Oct 2020 — 8.8 km all-weather tunnel beneath it
Shipki La Great Himalaya HP (Kinnaur) Spiti Valley/HP to Tibet ~3,933 m Sutlej enters India here from Tibet; India-China trade route — included in India-China Aug 2025 agreement (alongside Lipulekh and Nathu La) to reopen border trade
Nathu La Himalayas Sikkim Gangtok/Sikkim to Tibet (Chumbi Valley) 4,310 m (14,140 ft) Silk Road route; closed 1962-2006; reopened for limited trade 2006; included in India-China Aug 2025 border trade agreement
Jelep La Himalayas Sikkim Sikkim to Chumbi Valley, Tibet 4,267 m Historic British India-Tibet trade route; closed post-1962
Lipulekh Great Himalaya Uttarakhand (Pithoragarh) Uttarakhand to Tibet; Kailash-Mansarovar yatra route 5,334 m India-Nepal border dispute (Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limpiyadhura); India built link road 2020; India-China agreed Aug 2025 to reopen border trade through Lipulekh — Nepal protested strongly; trade resumption began Mar 2026
Niti Pass Great Himalaya Uttarakhand (Chamoli) Uttarakhand to Tibet 5,068 m Ancient trade route; Dhauliganga flows nearby
Mana Pass Great Himalaya Uttarakhand (Chamoli) Badrinath region to Tibet 5,610 m Near Badrinath; Saraswati river source area
Sela Pass Himalayas Arunachal Pradesh (West Kameng / Tawang) Tezpur (Assam) to Tawang 4,170 m (13,700 ft) Strategic: only road to Tawang; Sela Tunnel inaugurated Mar 9, 2024 by PM Modi — Tunnel 1 (980 m single-tube) + Tunnel 2 (1,555 m twin-tube); world's longest bi-lane tunnel above 13,000 ft; cost ₹825 cr; built by BRO
Bumla Himalayas Arunachal Pradesh (Tawang) Tawang to Tibet/China 4,407 m India-China border (McMahon Line); meeting point for Indian and Chinese troops on festive occasions
Dihang Pass Himalayas Arunachal Pradesh AP to Tibet High altitude Eastern extremity of Himalayan crossing; near Brahmaputra gorge
Diphu Pass Patkai Range Arunachal Pradesh (Changlang) AP to Myanmar 1,657 m India-Myanmar border; strategically important; near tri-junction with China
Pangsau Pass Patkai Range Arunachal Pradesh Stilwell Road (Ledo Road) corridor 1,000 m India-Myanmar border; part of historic Stilwell/Ledo Road (WWII-era)
Thaga La Himalayas Sikkim / AP region Contested ridge in Kameng sector ~4,600 m 1962 war flashpoint ("Thagla Ridge incident")
Palakkad Gap Western Ghats Kerala/Tamil Nadu Kerala to Tamil Nadu 460 m Natural break in Western Ghats; rail and road corridor; lowest pass in the Ghats
Bhor Ghat Western Ghats Maharashtra Mumbai to Pune (Deccan) ~625 m Rail (Central Railway) and road; Mumbai-Pune Expressway region
Thal Ghat Western Ghats Maharashtra Mumbai to Nashik — NH-3 corridor; steep gradient railway

BRO Tunnel Projects — Key Facts for UPSC

Tunnel Pass / Route State/UT Length Status Significance
Atal Tunnel (Rohtang) Rohtang Pass HP 8.8 km Open (Oct 2020) World's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 ft at time of opening; all-weather Manali-Lahaul connectivity
Sela Tunnel Sela Pass Arunachal Pradesh T1: 980 m + T2: 1,555 m (twin-tube) Open (Mar 9, 2024) World's longest bi-lane tunnel above 13,000 ft; all-weather Tezpur-Tawang; ₹825 cr; BRO
Zoji La Tunnel Zoji La J&K / Ladakh 14.2 km Under construction (target 2028) Will be Asia's longest tunnel; all-weather Srinagar-Ladakh
Shinkhun La Tunnel Shinkhun La HP-Ladakh 4.1 km (twin-tube) Under construction (target ~2028) Will be world's highest tunnel at 15,800 ft; third highway to Ladakh

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