Flowing through the mountains of Kashmir and Ladakh like rivers, the highways connecting the border region are both some of the best kept and most deserted roads. With areas being disputed between India, Pakistan and China, roads like National Highway 1 (NH1) to Leh are prestigious projects sending strong political signals while being greatly important to the people living there and the indian army. Along the way, I made my way away from the main road into the secluded valleys of the disputed land.
Muktu on the bed of a pickup truck, hitching a ride from Panamik towards Tiricha, Nubra Valley
The village of Tongole is around halfway between Kargil and Zanskar and is soon to be connected by NH 301. Every winter, the village gets cut off due to heavy snowfall, so each house is preparing during some of the year's first snowfall.
Just outside of Kargil, the LoC marks the border between indian-administered Ladakh and the Pakistani-administered Baltistan. Here, a boy drove his scooter up a mountain road overlooking the LoC. The road and mountains seen behind him are across the LoC. No one is allowed to cross the valley.
A local storeowner racing to get to Khadung La, one of the world's highest mountain passes, before dusk. If the sun sets before he reaches the first military checkpoint, he will be stuck in the valley until sunrise.
A truck delivering flour to the people living in the small village of Parkachick during a light snowfall. Later in winter, when the snowstorms move in, the trucks might not be able to deliver anything.
Roadworker building a landslide barrier along the road to the disputed Siachen Glacier
Roadwork’s looking after a tumbling pipe. Approximately 2 km from the LoC, Kargil
A kid walking along the river in Kargil with a cricket bat. Being right on the Line of Control, the city has been subject to border clashes and wars since the partition.
A truck carrying kerosene to an army base near Leh having engine problems in front of another army base along NH1. The two other drivers from the convoy are helping out.
Honey showing a video from a recent flooding of his house, Jammu.
Honey and his dad in front of the flood barrier that where supposed to keep their house along the river Tawi in Jammu
Construction of the road to Diskit.
Left: River spring close to Wanla. Right: Zojila pass. A tunnel is being built avoiding the pass entirely and ensuring an all weather connection to Kargil.
Asrar having a cigarette at 5 am during a break from looking for passengers wanting to go to Srinagar.Due to recent floods and subsequent landslides, the road between Jammu and Srinagar is now a one-way road. Open for traffic each way bi-daily. The 250km stretch of road can take the whole day, so it's best to go early, he says.
Two Bengali workers on a dried-out riverbed in close to Diskit in the northwesternmost valley of Indian administered territory between the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China. They are daily labourers picking up stones from the riverbed and using them to make landslide barriers.
A roadside liqorstore along NH3
A convoy of fueltrucks delivering kerosene to an armybase close to Leh
Boys on their way to school
A bus drivers bed just after sunrise, Srinagar
Kids waiting for the school bus along the NH1, Lamayuru
Construction of NH301
A pair of truckers cooking on NH3 between Leh and Manali. Most of the road is above 4000 meters of elevation and extremely challenging
