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Important
Mountain
Geography History
Passes In
Notes for UPSC
India And The
Himalayas
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The term mountain passes refers to the navigable path through the mountain ranges. Some of the
important mountain passes in India and Himalayas are Nathu La pass, Rohtang pass, Shipki La pass,
Zoji La pass, Nathu La pass, Bomdi La pass and so on.
 These mountain passes serve as a gateway to connect to the neighbouring countries and some
of them hold a strategic importance.
 In ancient times, though the rough and rugged terrain of the Himalayas made it difficult for the
foreigners to enter India, the mountain passes in the Indian subcontinent paved a way for them.
 It was through the Khyber pass in the Himalayas, the Alexander of Macedonia marched with his
army into India and made attempts to conquer it. Also, the Chinese travellers like Hiuen Tsang
and Fa Hien entered India through the mountain passes that connected the Indian subcontinent
with China.
 The mountain passes are also known as ghats, saddle, notch and gap.

Important mountain passes in India and Himalayas is one of the important topics under geography as
well as static GK. Questions related to mountain passes and their location on the map are often asked
for 1 or 2 marks in UPSC CSE Prelims exam. In this article, we shall discuss the mountain passes located
in India and Himalayas, state wise along with its elevation and strategic importance.

Also, check the Highest peaks in states of India from the linked article.

Important Mountain Passes in Himalayas

The Himalayas, which stretches from the Karakoram in the West to Namche Barwa in the East, is about
2400 km long and 400 km wide. It passes through Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and China. The Indian
Himalayan arc passes through the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and states of
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. The major passes that lies in these
Himalayan states in India are listed below:

Study the NCERT notes on volcanic landforms here.

Important Mountain Passes in Jammu And Kashmir

Following are the list of important mountain passes located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Banihal pass  It is located across the Pir Panjal range. 2832 m

 It connects the Kashmir valley (in Jammu and Kashmir) to the
outer Himalayas.
 Until the construction of Jawahar tunnel in 1956, Banihal pass
served as the road link between Jammu and Srinagar.

Bilafond La  Since, this pass is located on the Saltoro ridge (near Siachen 5450 m
pass glacier), it is also known as Saltoro pass.
 It is located near the Actual Ground Position Line (the line
which divides the military posts of India and Pakistan)
between India and Pakistan.
 It was originally a part of the ancient silk route which
connected the Indian subcontinent with China.

Kongka pass  It is a low mountain pass located on the Line of Actual Control 5171 m
between India and China.
 China considers Kongka pass as the border between India
and China.

Mintaka pass  It connects the Union Territory of Kashmir with China. 4709 m
 It is located in the Karakoram mountain range and is situated
near the tri junction of India, China and Afghanistan border.

Parpik pass  It connects the Union Territory of Kashmir with China.

 It is located at the east of Mintaka pass on the Indo-China
border.

Pir-Panjal pass  Located in the Pir Panjal range which is a group of mountains 3485 m
in the lesser Himalayan region.
 The Kashmir valley is connected to the Rajouri and Poonch
districts of Jammu and Kashmir via the Pir-Panjal pass.

Qara Tag La  It is located across the Karakoram range on the Indo-China 5359 m
pass border.

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 In the winter months they are covered by heavy snowfall and

thus they remain closed during those months.
 It was a part of the ancient silk route.

Sadhna pass  Earlier it was known as the Nastachun pass. 3000 m

 It connects Kashmir valley to the Karnah tehsil of Jammu and
Kashmir.

Sia La pass  It is situated on Saltoro range near Siachen Glacier. 5589 m

 In the early 1980’s, it was a conflicted area between India and
Pakistan.
 It is near the Indo-China border.

Read the NCERT notes on origin and evolution of Earth here.

Important Mountain Passes in Ladakh

Following are the list of important mountain passes located in the Union Territory of Ladakh

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Aghil pass  It lies in the Karakoram range. 4805 m

 It separates the Ladakh region in India from the Shaksgam
valley (Xinjiang province) in China.

Chang La pass  This pass connects the Ladakh region with Tibet. 5360 m
 It lies in between the Shyok river valley and Leh district.
 It is one of the highest motorable roads in the world.

Fotu La pass  It is located in the Zaskar range of the Himalayas. 4108 m

 It is one of the two mountain passes which lie between the
districts of Leh and Kargil.

Gyong La pass  It is located on the Saltoro ridge in the southwest of Siachen 5686 m
Glacier.

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 It was one of the conflicted areas between India and

Pakistan. In 1989, it came under the complete control of
Indian forces.

Imis La pass  It connects the Union Territory of Ladakh to Tibet in China. 5290 m
 It remains closed during the winter months.

Khardung La  It is located in the Ladakh range of mountains. 5359 m

pass  It serves as a gateway to Nubra and Shyok valleys.

Lanak La pass  It is located in the Aksai Chin region and thus connects India 5466 m
and China.
 While China claims Kongka pass as the border between India
and China, India claims Lanak La pass as the border.

Namika La  It is located in the Zaskar range. 3700 m

 It is one of the two mountain passes which lie between the
districts of Leh and Kargil. (Fotu La is the other pass)

Pensi La pass  It is also known as the gateway to Zanskar (a tehsil in Kargil 4400 m
district).
 It connects the Suru valley region to the Zanskar valley
region.
 Due to heavy snowfall, it remains open only between May
and October.

Sasser La pass  It connects India (Ladakh) with China. 5411 m

 It lies in the Karakoram range in the Union Territory of
Ladakh.

Shingo La pass  It is located on the border between Ladakh and Himachal 5091 m
Pradesh.
 It connects the Kargil district to the Lahaul and Spiti district of
Ladakh.

Taglang La  It is one of the high altitude mountain passes located in 5328 m

pass Ladakh.
 It is traversed by the Leh-Manali highway.

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 It is the 12th highest motorable pass.

Zoji La pass  It provides a link between Ladakh and Kashmir valley. 3528 m
 Until the construction of Zoji-La tunnel, this pass was closed
during the winter.

Check the NCERT Notes on Geomorphic Processes here.

Important Mountain Passes in Himachal Pradesh

List of important mountain passes located in Himachal Pradesh is given below:

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Auden’s Col  It is located in the Garhwal Himalayas of the Greater 5490 m

Himalayas range.
 It connects the Rudugaira valley with the Bhilangana valley.

Baralacha La  It is situated in the Zaskar range in Himachal Pradesh. 4850 m

pass  It links the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh to Leh district
of Ladakh.
 It divides the Yunam river from Bhaga river.

Chanshal pass  This pass is situated in the highest peak of Shimla, the 3750 m
Chanshal peak.
 It links two towns of the Shimla district - Rohru and Dodra
Kwar.
 It is also known as the Chanshal valley and it remains open
only between May and October.

Debsa pass  It is situated between the Kullu and Spiti districts of Himachal 5360 m
Pradesh.
 It is in the Himalayan mountain range.
 It links the Parvati valley with Spiti valley.

Indrahar pass  It is located in the Dhauladhar mountain range of Himalayas. 4342 m

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 The Chamba and Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh are

separated by this pass.

Jalori pass  It lies in the northern peaks of Himalayas and is between the 3134 m
districts, Kullu and Shimla.
 It connects Tirthan valley with the Satluj valley.

Kunzum pass  It is located in the eastern Kunzum range of Himalayas. 4551 m

 It serves as a link between Lahaul alley and Spiti valley.
 It usually remains open between June and October.

Lamkhaga pass  It is located close to the Indo-Tibetan border. 5282 m

 It connects Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh with Harshil
district of Uttarakhand.

Rohtang pass  It is located in the eastern side of the Pir Panjal range of the 3978 m
Himalayas.
 It links the Kullu valley with the Lahaul and Spiti valley.

Shipki La pass  It connects India (Kinnaur district) with China (Ngari 3930 m
Prefecture province of Tibet) and is the India’s border post
between two countries.
 This pass is very significant as it increases the trade between
India and Tibet (China).

Read the NCERT notes on Salinity of Ocean Water from the linked article.

Important Mountain Passes in Uttarakhand

Following are the list of major mountain passes in the state of Uttarakhand

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Kalindi pass  It is a high mountain pass located in Garhwal Himalayan 5950 m

range of Greater Himalayas.
 The water from this glaciated pass joins the Gangotri glacier
located near the Indo-Tibet border.

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Lipulekh pass  It connects India (Uttarakhand region) with China (Tibatan 5115 m
region). It serves as a border between both the countries.
 It links the Byans valley (Uttarakhand) to the Tibet
Autonomous Region (China).

Mana pass  It serves as a border between India and Tibet region of 5632 m
China.
 It is located in the Garhwal Himalayan mountain range.
 It is one of the highest motorable passes in India.

Mangsha Dhura  It is located in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. 5674 m

pass  It connects Uttarakhand (India) with Tibet (China).

Mayali pass  It is located in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. 5400 m

 It connects Bhilangana valley (in Garhwal Himalayas) with
Kedarnath and Mandakini valley.

Muling La pass  It is located north of Gangotri (Uttarkashi district). 5669 m

 It connects Uttarakhand state of India with the Tibet region of
China.

Nama pass  It is located in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. 5200 m

 It connects India with Tibet and is one of the trade routes
between India and Tibet.
 It also links the Kuthi valley with the Darma valley, both of
which are located in Pithoragarh district.

Niti pass  It is located on the Indo-China border and connects 5073 m

Uttarakhand district with the southern region of Tibet.

Sin La pass  It is one of the high mountain passes located in the 5495 m
Himalayan range.
 For most part of the year, this pass is covered with heavy
snow.

Traill’s pass  It is located in between the Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot 5312 m
peaks of Himalayan range.

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 It links the Pindari glacier of Kumaon Himalayas to the Milam

glacier of Kumaon Himalayas.

Study the NCERT Notes on Biological Weathering here.

Important Mountain Passes in Sikkim

List of important mountain passes located in the Northeastern state of Sikkim is given below:

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Dongkhala pass /  It connects India with the Tibet region of China. 5534 m
Donkia pass  It is located in the Himalayan mountain range.

Goecha La pass  It links Sikkim with Tibet. 4940 m

Jelep La pass  It connects Sikkim state of India with Lhasa (administrative 4270 m
capital of Tibet) in China.
 It passes through the Chumbi valley which is located in the
eastern region of the Great Himalayan range i.e. in the
southern portion of Tibet.

Nathu La pass  It connects Sikkim (India) with the Tibet Autonomous region 4310 m
(China).
 It is one of the three trading border posts between India and
China and is also one of the five border personnel meeting
points between the armies of both the countries.

Study the NCERT Notes on Erosional Landforms here.

Important Mountain Passes in Arunachal Pradesh

Following are the list of major mountain passes situated in Arunachal Pradesh:

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

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Bom Di La pass  It connects the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh with 4331 m
Bhutan.
 It is located in the western region of the Greater
Himalayas.

Chankan pass  It is located on the Indo-Myanmar border. 2432 m

 It connects Arunachal Pradesh with Myanmar.

Dihang pass  It connects Arunachal Pradesh with the second largest 4000 m
city of Myanmar, Mandalay.

Diphu pass  It is located at the tri-junction of India, China and 4587 m

Myanmar.
 It is on the McMohan line which demarcates India and
China.
 It is one of the important trade routes between India and
Myanmar.

Hpungan pass  It is located on the Indo-Myanmar border. 3072 m

Kumjawng pass  It connects the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh with 2465 m
Myanmar.

Pangsau pass /  It is located on the Patkai hills which connects India with 1136 m
Pan Saung pass Myanmar.
 The Pangsau pass winter festival is a joint India-Myanmar
event which is celebrated annually by the tribes of India
and Myanmar together.

Sela pass  It is located on the border between the districts, Tawang 4170 m
and West Kameng of Arunachal Pradesh.

Yonggyap pass  It lies in the Indo-China border and connects Arunachal 3962 m
Pradesh (India) with the Tibet Autonomous Region
(China).

Read the NCERT Notes on Tropical Cyclones here.

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Important Mountain Passes in Rajasthan

List of important mountain passes located in the state of Rajasthan is given below:

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Goram Ghat  It connects the Udaipur city of Rajasthan with the Jalore and 1200 m
Sirohi districts.
 It is located to the south of Mount Abu and separates
Gurushikar from Mount Abu.

Haldighati pass  It is located in the Aravalli range (between Bagicha and

Khamnor villages).
 It serves as a link between Pali and Rajsamand districts of
Rajasthan.
 It is known for the Battle of Haldighati which took place
between Maharana Pratap of Mewar and Man Singh I of
Amer.

Check the NCERT Notes on minerals and its characteristics here.

Important Mountain Passes in Southern India

Some of the major mountain passes located in South India are as follows:

Mountain Strategic Importance Elevation

Passes

Bhor Ghat  It is located at the northernmost region of Western 622 m

Ghats in Maharashtra.

Palakkad gap /  It is a low mountain pass located between Coimbatore 140 m

Palghat gap district of Tamil Nadu and Palakkad district of Kerala.

Shenkottai pass  It connects the Kollam district of Kerala to the Madurai 690 m
district of Tamil Nadu.

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 It is situated in between the Varshanadu hills and

Agathiya malai.
 It is the second largest gap located in the Western
Ghats.

Thal Ghat  Also known as the Kasara Ghat, is located in the Thane 585 m
district of Maharashtra.
 The steepest railway line in India is located on this Ghat.

Thamarassery pass  It is located across the Western Ghats. 800 m

 It connects the Kozhikode district to the Wayanad district
of Kerala.
 It is also known as the Wayanad Churam.

Also check the article on Important Lakes in India here.

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