Dare to go on a road trip to one of these five most dangerous
routes in India.
India is a country full of surprises. No, I am not talking about
the cultural diversity only. The variety lies in the way it looks as well.
There are mountains in the north and east, and seas and rivers in the east and
west. And within those mountains, rivers, and seas, the landscape varies from
one place to the other. This is especially true when you are on a road trip
across the curvy mountains. Every turn surprises you with a different landscape
-- sometimes the hard and barren terrain, and in other times, the lush green
ones. But one thing that doesn't change is the road -- at times, the road
through some of these mountains are dangerous.
Now, you must be thinking, "What's an adventurous road trip
across the mountains if you don't cross these paths?" Well, we dare you to
take one of these five most dangerous roads in India.
Zoji La
You must have fantasised a
drive on this road due to its scenic surroundings, but the Zoji La is easily
one of the toughest mountain roads to cross. Located at an altitude of more
than 11,000 feet, this pass falls on the way to Leh from Srinagar. Naturally,
the views that one gets while travelling on this are simply stunning, to say
the least. But at the same time, it is the second highest pass in India and
poses a lot of dangers, including muddy roads, heavy snow storms, regular
landslides, and strong winds.
Kinnaur Road
Located in the southwestern part of Himachal
Pradesh, this road has been literally carved out of rocks, making it narrow and
extremely to cross. Often used by those travelling to the Kinnaur district,
some parts of this road are really scary due to the sharp blind turns, and the
lack of space for vehicles from both directions to pass through -- accidents
are often reported from this region.
Khardung La
Even though the Indian Army-staffed Border
Roads Organisation (BRO) had worked hard to make a road which is being used by
thousands of tourists every year, you just can't strike it off from the list of
India's most dangerous roads -- after all, it is the highest motorable road in
the world at an altitude of 18,380 feet. And with that, comes its own dangers.
The dangers associated with such a high mountain road, it poses human dangers
with the air being thin, the weather being cold, and oxygen levels being low.
Leh-Manali Highway
You must have fantasised travelling on this road since you saw
Kareena and Shahid merrily making their way through this one in Jab We Met. No
doubt, the landscape is as scenic as you can visualise, but it is also dangerous
to travel on this road due to a 479km-long route that is surrounded by lofty
mountains and covered with snow in various parts, making it one of the trickiest
roads in India.
Nathu La
You can visit this only with proper permits in
place, which you can get from Gangtok. A popular tourist destination in Sikkim,
the pass is located at an altitude of about 14,000 feet. While heavy snow on
the route makes it tricky, the turns are precarious, and there are landslides
blocking the road during monsoons.
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