In 1992, amidst a wave of economic liberalization, the Trans-Himalayan region of Spiti was opened to outsiders and tourists for the first time. But even today, if one were to visit, the first impression would be that of a place stuck in time. As a young travel writer, when I visited Spiti in 2019, I remember thinking about two words – hauntingly beautiful – and then thinking about how expressions could be so contradictory, and yet so apt.
But this had been the story for Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti district. Situated at a dizzying 10,050 ft above mean sea level, with ranges extending to well over 20,000 ft, “hard-to-reach” was a definitive trait whenever the region was spoken about. Geographically, Lahaul and Spiti is nestled between the Indo-Tibetan/Chinese border on one side and Ladakh on the other. It is but obvious to assume that development—at least of the strategic kind—would be necessitated due to its strategic importance. However, that was not the case.
Accessibility: The Precursor to Development
One of the major attractions that brought thousands like me to Lahaul and Spiti each year was the fact that this was a less-ventured-to part of the Himalayas. To get to Spiti, there was only one road accessible throughout the year and just one other that would be open only during the summers. As a result, for the modern-day traveller, for whom ease of travelling was paramount, this remote destination didn’t even merit a second glance. But, for the people who called this fortress-like region their home, it meant that there was very little ease of living; residing in Spiti meant that a very thin line separated living from rudimentary survival.
Having travelled by public conveyance all my life and having witnessed the transformation of urban transport under the Modi Government, I wanted to experience public transport in a region where it was still viewed as a lifeline. With a terrain that bordered on inhospitable and a climate that defined the word ‘unpredictable,’ Lahaul and Spiti, to me, appeared as the perfect experiential playground.
The first shock that I received was the sheer lack of telecom connectivity. I realized that barely three or four establishments offered the option to reserve a room online, and that too because they had—due to a lack of options—merged with larger companies headquartered in metro cities. The second shock was that of staying disconnected. In an age where my smartphone served as my unbreakable link with the world, a week without the internet was already making me a little uneasy.
Putting Development on the Fast Track
On the gruelling 24-hour journey from Delhi, one cannot help but wonder how hard life must be in areas that are so far away, even when the roads—as the bus conductor informed me—had never been better. For someone living in Kaza, the only way to get an administrative approval would be to travel to Shimla, the State’s capital, which was at least 16 hours away. Moreover, it is hard to imagine how difficult life must be in the general sense. Any item that is out of stock would have to be ordered from several hundred kilometres away, and on a journey so perilous, there was no assurance of quality. Consider construction: every brick that was laid while someone was building a home would have accumulated so much logistical weight that the home, once finished, would be an accomplishment of generational proportions.
What we call basic in our luxury-laden metropolitan lives takes on epic proportions in the frontiers.
These are the areas that had, for a significant period since Indian independence, borne the brunt of ignorance. This is why calling 2014 a watershed moment for development in India would not be an exaggeration.
When I visited Spiti, it had been 5 years since the PM Modi-led government had been at the centre, and in that short span, change was already visible. Public transport was available end-to-end; not for a single kilometre on my journey did I have to walk for lack of a road or transport. My phone had internet right until I entered Spiti Valley – which meant progress wasn’t progressing like it had for so many decades, it was accelerating. In 2019, I interacted with locals who were in the process of either digging foundations for their homes or giving their finished abodes final touches. It was evident that over the years, it had become increasingly easier to accomplish tasks that, until a decade ago, seemed impossible.
What Spiti was witnessing seemed to be the case across the state of Himachal Pradesh, albeit in varying degrees. For example, since 2014, the length of National Highways running along some of the world’s highest mountains has increased by almost 20%. Similarly, for Lahaul and Spiti and even Leh, getting to the closest metro-like city would mean a difficult journey to Kullu. Even on normal days, the winding mountain roads and steep ascents called for a journey that many of us would deem life-changing. But, with the Atal Tunnel, these distances have been dramatically reduced. More importantly, the Atal provides all-year access.
But for businesses, there still existed dependence on the urban world. Without internet or reliable networks, bookings, experiences, and plans for the future were all stuck in Spiti. When I travelled to Spiti, throughout the route, I noticed work being done for laying telecom cables, setting up network hubs, and erecting towers. Like clockwork, in 2020 I got a call from the hostel I had stayed at. The owner of the establishment—with whom I had formed a friendly bond—was overjoyed to inform me that Spiti now had access to 4G internet and with it, the ability to become self-reliant.[1] Today, over 120 villages in the region have access to 4G internet. With it has come access to world-class education, and with seamless telecom connectivity, initiatives like eSanjeevani (one of the world’s biggest telemedicine programmes).
With connectivity, the Prime Minister has truly achieved what he set out to do: he has brought India closer – from Spiti to Sringeri and from Kachchh to Kohima. Today, Kaza is not one of the last towns of India; it is the first.
Tourism and allied sectors are one of the biggest employers in the region, and for the first time since Indian independence, this sector had a direct connection with the Indian market. With something as basic as internet connectivity, something as remarkable as self-reliance was becoming a reality.
Similarly, by providing something as simple as toilets, LPG connections, or tapped water, the government isn’t just making lives simpler, it is ensuring dignity and respect for the people. Today, there are fewer instances of respiratory and/or water-borne diseases, which means there are fewer trips to be made to hospitals that far away. Today, this region that was previously considered inaccessible is also home to the world’s highest EV charging station.[2]
Serving the Underserved
Now, consider Ladakh, the arid and freezing heights that form our nation’s magnificent northern frontier. In those conditions, walking miles upon miles to fetch something as basic as a pail of water was the norm. Similarly, in Sikkim, crossing areas that many classified as ‘hard to reach’ was the accepted standard, even for the most basic provisions. To the south, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, so far from the mainland, any construction—be it toilets or taps—required its very own five-year plan, and India was yet to have a Wi-Fi signal strong enough to cater to the islandic population. That was the norm, but not anymore.
Under the leadership of PM Modi and his government, improving lives in such areas became a national responsibility.
In Ladakh, the number of homes with tap water has risen from just 3% in 2019 to almost 96% today. In Himachal Pradesh, where half the homes previously had no access to tap water, today, in 2024, not a single home is without a potable tap water connection.
In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands—the farthest of the lot—the dream is being realized in earnest. Through the Jal Jeevan and Swachh Bharat Missions, 100% of households now have tap water connections, and 100% have toilets. Additionally, with the 2,300-km undersea optical fiber cable that PM Modi dedicated to the nation in 2020, these achievements are now online, 24/7.
Thanks to the Atal Tunnel, the tourist inflow to Lahaul and Spiti has increased by 622% compared to 2019[3]. This time, the entire industry is largely being managed by locals, thanks to the developments over the past eight years.
From Margins to Mainstream
The Parvatmala Pariyojana focuses on building end-to-end connectivity through ropeways. While a ropeway might sound like a recreational activity to a young millennial, in these hard-to-reach areas, it signifies a vital connection for the delivery of essential services.
Imagine a village with a small population—such villages were once sidelined, but today, the PM Gram Sadak Yojana specifically targets such habitations. The Parvatmala Pariyojana will take this a step further, ensuring connectivity even at an individual level. Once completed, the program will provide remote and inaccessible areas with access to essential services. For example, ASHA workers who currently climb thousands of feet to vaccinate residents—both young and old—will find it significantly easier to deliver healthcare services regularly and reliably.
Along similar lines, the Vibrant Villages Programme focuses on developing border villages and creating the necessary infrastructure to make life easier for residents.
In Spiti, even as self-reliance and self-sufficiency have grown considerably, the government is ensuring that marginalized communities are onboarded to the development bandwagon. In Lahaul and Spiti, 100% of the homes sanctioned under PMAY-G have been allocated to members of the SC and ST communities[4]. Moreover, nearly 50% of these homes were completed in less than a year.
The success of the PM Awas Yojana’s urban segment in Himachal Pradesh has been so profound that coverage today exceeds 100%[5].
Furthermore, providing tap water connections to every household in Lahaul and Spiti took the government just one year.[6]
Rather than offering piecemeal benefits, the Modi government has focused on achieving 100% saturation and 100% delivery. Many may ask, what has really changed in the last 10 years? The answer is simple: in the last decade, our nation has transformed from one that would settle for the bare minimum to one that aspires for the best. In the next quarter-century, we will understand how the foundation for a Viksit Bharat by 2047 was laid in 2014.
References:
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/work-for-high-speed-internet-on-in-remote-hp-areas-near-china-border/articleshow/77339232.cms
[2] https://www.firstpost.com/tech/auto-tech/worlds-highest-ev-charging-station-opens-in-the-spiti-valley-in-himachal-pradesh-10001481.html
[3] https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/atal-tunnel-jacks-up-tourist-inflow-to-lahaul-spiti-by-622-367957
[4] https://pmayg.nic.in/netiay/PBIDashboard/PMAYGDashboard.aspx
[5] https://pmay-urban.gov.in/uploads/progress-pdfs/62a870bbd25c3-State.pdf
