SRINAGAR: On his maiden visit to the newly-created Changthang district, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena inaugurated a 2.10-kilometre-long irrigation canal from Mahey Tokpo to Raldho, describing it as a major step towards strengthening rural infrastructure, ensuring water security and boosting agricultural sustainability in the remote high-altitude region.
Constructed at an altitude of over 14,000 feet, the Mahey irrigation canal has been described as a significant engineering achievement in one of Ladakh’s most challenging terrains. The project was initiated during 2022-23, but only 1,250 metres of the canal had been completed till March 2026, after which the work had stalled.
Officials said that after assuming office as Lieutenant Governor on March 13 this year, Shri Saxena reviewed the progress of the canal project in his first meeting on ongoing works and directed officials to remove administrative bottlenecks and complete the work in a time-bound manner.
Following the intervention, construction resumed rapidly and the remaining 850 metres — more than one-third of the total canal length — was completed within two months. The canal has a width and depth of two feet each and has been built with PCC lining and breast wall protection works to ensure stability and durability along the mountainous terrain, nearly 200 feet above the road level.
Before the canal was constructed, farmers in the Mahey area reportedly faced recurring difficulties due to unreliable irrigation arrangements, particularly during the peak cultivation season. The canal, drawing water from the nearby Yaya Lake, is expected to provide a dependable irrigation system for nearly 100 acres of agricultural land in the high-altitude belt.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Saxena said the canal project and the plantation drive carried out alongside it would greatly benefit local communities dependent on glacier melt and traditional irrigation systems.
“The Mahey irrigation canal, as indeed the mass plantation drive with support of the locals, would immensely benefit the people of Changthang, where agriculture and allied activities are heavily dependent on seasonal glacier melt and traditional irrigation systems. This project marks a major step towards enhancing irrigation infrastructure, increasing agricultural productivity and strengthening the livelihoods of local farmers and pastoral communities in the remote Changthang region,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He also praised the Irrigation and Flood Control Department for completing the work under difficult climatic and geographical conditions.
“Executing a project of such great importance in extremely challenging conditions is never easy. The officials have done a commendable job by completing the project with utmost dedication and commitment,” he said.
A plantation drive involving the planting of 15,000 saplings, organised by Drukpa Thuksey Rinpoche, was also conducted in the presence of the Lieutenant Governor. The initiative aims to support soil conservation, slope stabilisation, ecological restoration and improvement of green cover in the region.
During his visit to Nyoma, Shri Saxena also participated in celebrations marking the creation of Changthang as a separate district. Thousands of people, including villagers, public representatives, students, Tibetan refugee cultural groups and civil society members, participated in the celebrations and accorded the Lieutenant Governor a grand welcome. He was also received by residents at Liktsey and Hemya villages.
The creation of Changthang district follows approval granted by the Lieutenant Governor on April 27, 2026, for the formation of five new districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
Addressing the public gathering, Shri Saxena termed the creation of Changthang district a “historic step” that would fulfil a long-pending aspiration of the people and bring governance closer to residents living in one of the most remote border regions of the country.
He said people of Changthang had for years faced hardships in accessing administrative services due to vast distances, harsh weather and poor connectivity, often travelling nearly 300 kilometres to meet senior officers or seek grievance redressal.
“With the creation of a separate district, the administration will now come much closer to the people, ensuring better grievance redressal and more efficient delivery of government services at their doorsteps,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor also highlighted the economic and cultural importance of Changthang, particularly its globally recognised Pashmina sector, and said the administration was taking measures for branding, processing, marketing and value addition to ensure better returns for nomadic communities and Pashmina growers.
He further reiterated the administration’s commitment towards strengthening healthcare, education, irrigation, water conservation, tourism, public transport and livelihood opportunities in the region under initiatives such as the Vibrant Villages Programme aimed at the development of border villages.
