Geography Urbanization and urban development in Kargil, Ladakh in the Indian Trans-Himalaya

The focus of the research project is on urbanization and urban development in the Indian Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. The towns have experienced tremendous infrastructure development, administrative changes, increasing tourism sector, and environmental degradation. Based on a multi-temporal approach using high-resolution satellite images, a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative interviews), and field surveys, urbanization, and landscape changes have been analyzed since the 1960s. During the field surveys conducted in 2021, 2022, and 2023, interviews with stakeholders, discussions with local people, face-to-face talks with officials of LAHDC-Kargil (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Kargil), and photographic surveys were carried out. A drastic socio-economic transformation can be observed, notably after the opening of Srinagar to Leh road for motorized traffic in 1960 and international tourism in 1974. Both developments have brought significant urban landscape changes in terms of urban population growth, increase in the tourism sector, occupational structure, and land cover change. For instance; the population of Kargil town increased from 1681 in 1961 to 16,338 in 2011, while the total population of the entire Kargil district multiplied from 45,064 to 140,802 over the same period. The settlements used to be formed in a clustered pattern, which is being changed into linear and dispersed settlements. The settlements are mostly located along the roads, rivers, streams, and canals or on low-lying banks of the main rivers, Suru, Drass, and Wakha. A depicted shift has occurred in occupational structure from agricultural into non-agricultural activities, as most of the cultivators are adopting economic-based activities. A significant increase in the built-up area of the capital town of Kargil can be observed compared to other small towns of Padum, Sankoo, and Drass. Driving factors, such as historical development, urban population growth, and the tourism sector have played a predominant role in the urban landscape change of Kargil town. The fragile environment has faced immense pressures and challenges due to the rapid increase of urban infrastructure, unplanned urbanization, and lack of proper urban planning. The PhD project aims to investigate the drivers and impacts of these drastic and rapid changes.

PhD Project: Altaf Hussain
Funding: Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India
Duration: 2020-2024