Brown Bear circuit put on alert; Officials told to recast designs
Kargil: Ladakh’s brown bear tourism push came under close scrutiny on Monday as Tourism & Culture Secretary Sanjit Rodrigues flagged design changes, sustainability gaps and planning lapses during an extensive review of Swadesh Darshan projects across the Drass subdivision. The inspection — spanning Mushkoo Valley, Sangam View Point and the Hundarman heritage circuit — has set the stage for a course correction in Ladakh’s latest tourism drive.
At Mushkoo Valley, the centrepiece of Ladakh’s proposed brown bear–sighting circuit, Rodrigues examined the Challenge-Based Destination Development plan and questioned elements that risk disturbing the area’s fragile habitat. The project includes a new entry point, a brown-bear observation zone and the introduction of wild tulip trails. Rodrigues instructed the executing agency to rework the design, insisting that infrastructure must blend with the terrain and avoid altering natural contours.
Calling for a “minimal-intervention approach,” he pressed officials to strengthen waste management systems immediately, warning that poor waste control could undermine both wildlife safety and the valley’s tourism potential. He was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner and CEO LAHDC Kargil Rakesh Kumar, senior engineers from KDA and R&B, and officials from tourism, NGOs and local villages.
The Secretary later reviewed preparations at the Sangam View Point, where development is underway to create a structured visitor zone. He also assessed the preservation measures planned for the ancient rock carvings at Kharul, directing agencies to ensure that protection efforts do not compromise archaeological integrity.
At Hundarman, another Swadesh Darshan site, Rodrigues conducted a detailed assessment of the heritage village’s trail and viewpoint development. He ruled out concrete stairways, calling instead for natural trails that maintain the village’s historic and visual character. The PHE department was instructed to lay water pipelines underground to retain the natural façade.
Local residents requested permission to deploy e-rickshaws or e-vehicles to move tourists from the parking area to the viewpoints. Rodrigues supported the proposal in principle, provided environmental safeguards are observed.
During discussions with the Development Commissioner, Rodrigues pushed for expediting a proposed MoU with villagers to formally recognise Hundarman on the archaeological map. He also unveiled a three-tier plan: upgrading the existing viewpoint, strengthening the Hundarman Heritage Museum, and developing an upper viewpoint as a new border-viewing site.
Agencies were told to submit a fresh Hundarman plan without delay, along with a notification prohibiting alterations to traditional structures.
