Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the central government to explore the feasibility of opening the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra (KMY) via the Shipki La route in Himachal Pradesh.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister said that the Shipki La region has served as a vital Indo-Tibetan trade route, predating modern borders. He said it has also been a cultural corridor for Tibetan Buddhism and ancient pilgrimage paths, reflecting India’s enduring civilisational ties to Kailash and Mansarovar.

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He said that the Kinnaur region of Himachal Pradesh, being semi-arid and situated in a rain shadow zone like Spiti, is less prone to monsoon disruptions, which keeps the route accessible for most of the year. He added that the path from Shipki La via Gartok towards Darchen and Mansarovar is comparatively shorter on the Tibetan side.

Sukhu said that Shipki La also offers a more stable and unambiguous corridor, making it well-suited as a long-term, dependable corridor for pilgrimage and cross-border connectivity.

The Chief Minister said that Himachal Pradesh has road connectivity up to Shipki La via Rampur and Pooh.

He said that with focused development of base camps and supporting infrastructure, this route can be seamlessly integrated into the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra framework.

Sukhu emphasised that the opening of this route would significantly contribute to the socio-economic upliftment of the tribal people of Kinnaur, aligning with the government’s vision for border development and tourism promotion under the Vibrant Village Programme.

The Chief Minister said that the state government will extend all logistical and administrative support to the central government if the Shipki La route is opened for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.