Drass district

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Drass district
District of Ladakh
View of Drass Valley
View of Drass Valley
Country India
Union Territory Ladakh
HeadquarterDrass-Ranbirpura
Established27 April 2026
Government
 • Lok Sabha constituenciesLadakh
 • MPMohmad Haneefa
Area
 • Total
2,646 km2 (1,022 sq mi)
Languages
 • OfficialHindi and English[1]
 • SpokenPurgi, Shina, Ladakhi, Urdu, Balti, Tibetan
Time zoneUTC+05:30 (IST)

Drass district (called Gateway to Ladakh), with headquarter at Drass-Ranbirpura, is one of the district in the Union Territory of Ladakh in India.[2][3] It is also one of the smallest districts in the country.[4]

History

On 27th April 2026, 5 new districts were notified in the government gazette for boosting the service delivery and infrastructure, including Drass district with 19 revenue villages which was carved out of western part of Kargil district , and Zanskar with 26 revenue villages.[2] Earlier announced on 26th August 2024 as a new district was awaiting the formal notification for the creation.[5] In January 2024, hundreds of people from various villages in the region took part in a peaceful protest march, demanding that Drass be recognized as a district.[6]

The district was the key site of Kargil war.

Geography

Dras in high-altitude Great Himalayas range at roughly 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) near the Zoji La Pass. A narrow, high-altitude valley (approx. 10,800 ft) surrounded by towering, rocky, and often barren Himalayan peaks. Dras acts as a critical link between Kashmir and Ladakh, featuring significant military presence near the India-Pakistan Line of Control.

Climate

Dras district has harsh continental climate conditions, including temperatures dropping below -40°C in winter. The severe winters last from late autumn to spring (mid-October to mid-May) and receives significant snowfall (often over 550 mm water equivalent). Dras River flows through the region.

Ecology

Dras is often called the "Indian Siberia" due to its frigid, icy conditions, similar to Siberia or Alaska. Vegetation is largely confined to river valleys at lower elevations, consisting mainly of hardy grasses and shrubs, as high-altitude areas are barren and rocky.

Administration

Sub-divisions, Blocks and Villages in Drass district
Current district Former district Sub-division Blocks Villages
Drass district Kargil district Dras Dras Dras, Matayen, Pandrass, Trongion, Youlboo, Haripora, Batokol, Mushkoo, Holiyal, Muradbagh
Goshan Goshan
Bhimbat Gindiyal, Bhimbat, Throungos, Chowkiyal
Thasgam Jasgound, Thasgam, Shimsha, Kharboo
Total 1 1 4 19

[7][8][9][10][11]

Tourism

Drass now serves as a key stopping point for travelers journeying to Leh and Kargil.[12]

Transport

Road

National highway NH 1 connects Srinagar and Leh via Kargil

Dras is situated along National Highway 1 (NH-1), about 60 km west of Kargil town and 140 km from Srinagar, serving as the gateway from the Kashmir Valley to Ladakh. National highway NH 1 runs through the district and connects Srinagar to Leh.[13] Government operated buses provide local connectivity.[14][15][16] The Kargil-Skardu road earlier linked Kargil to Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It has been closed since the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948.[17][18][19]

Air

View of Kargil airport from Choskore La.

Kargil Airport was built in 1996 for civilian operations.[20][21] The operational control was later transferred to the Indian Air Force.[22][23] The air force operates seasonal flights that carry cargo and transport civilians during the winter.[24] The nearest major airports are the Leh Airport with regular domestic flights and the Srinagar International Airport.[16]

Rail

Srinagar railway station is the nearest railway station from the town, and has limited railway services. The nearest major railhead is the Jammu Tawi railway station located about 440 km (270 mi) from the town.[16]

See also

References

  1. Ganai, Naseer (19 January 2022). "Urdu No More Official Language Of Ladakh". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  2. Historic milestone for Ladakh: Five new districts notified in Ladakh; taking total districts to seven, 27 Apr 2026.
  3. "MHA announces five new districts in Ladakh". The Times of India. 2024-08-26. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  4. Gillani, Syed Shadab Ali (2024-08-26). "Will Ladakh's New Districts Have Autonomous Hill Councils Too, Congress Asks". Kashmir Life. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  5. "Ladakh Gets 5 New Districts: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra And Changthang". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
  6. "Residents seek district tag for Drass". Tribune India. 14 Jan 2024. Retrieved 26 Aug 2024.
  7. "District Administration Drass". Ladakh Government. Retrieved 2026-05-21.
  8. "Revenue Villages". District Kargil, Union Territory of Ladakh. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  9. "Administrative Setup of Kargil District". District Kargil, Union Territory of Ladakh. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  10. "Ladakh gets five new districts including Drass". The Hindu. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  11. "Centre announces five new districts in Ladakh". The Indian Express. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  12. "Drass". Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  13. "Rationalisation of Numbering Systems of National Highways" (PDF). Department of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
  14. "Bus service from Kargil to Jammu started by J&K govt". The Hindustan Times. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  15. "First batch of e-buses rolled out in Kargil". The Economic Times. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  16. "How to reach". Government of India. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  17. "Moving on the Kargil-Skardu road". The Indian Express. 24 April 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  18. "The Kargil-Skardu Route: Implications of its Opening by Zainab Akhter". IPCS. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  19. "Present status of Kargil to Skardu Road". Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  20. "Kargil Airport To Be Expanded". Press Information Bureau (Press release). 21 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  21. "Regulator asks SpiceJet to start flights to Kargil". Live Mint. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  22. "Kargil to be a major Indian Air Force base". Zee News. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  23. "Ministry of defence to run Kargil airport". Dawn. 29 December 2002. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  24. "J&K starts air courier service for Kargil". The Economic Times. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2019.