RAS question
Which pass connects Leh with Kashmir Valley?
Correct answer: (A) Zoji La.
Zoji La is the Greater Himalayan pass that connects Leh in Ladakh with Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley.
Explanation
Zoji La is a 3,528 m pass in the Greater Himalayas on the Srinagar-Leh route. According to a Press Information Bureau release, the tunnel being built beneath Zoji La is intended to enable all-weather travel between the Srinagar Valley and Leh on NH-1. This route connects Srinagar with Leh through Dras and Kargil. The existing road across the pass remains motorable for only about six months each year. These details place Zoji La on the Kashmir Valley-Ladakh link, unlike passes on routes in Himachal Pradesh or between Sikkim and Tibet.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Rohtang Pass connects Kullu with Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, so it is not the pass linking Leh with the Kashmir Valley.
- (C) Shipki La lies on the India-Tibet border in Himachal Pradesh, so it is not part of the Srinagar-Leh route.
- (D) Nathu La connects Sikkim with Tibet, so it lies in the eastern Himalayan sector rather than on the Kashmir Valley-Ladakh route.
Concept
This question tests knowledge of Himalayan passes and the regions and transport routes they connect. Such questions are common in RAS because they link physical geography with strategic and regional connectivity.