Chief Secretary Visits Drass Ahead of Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough, Reaffirms Commitment to District Development.

Chief Secretary Visits Drass Ahead of Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough, Reaffirms Commitment to District Development.
Drass, June 07, 2026: Chief Secretary, Ladakh, Ashish Kundra visited Drass district today in connection with the upcoming breakthrough of the Zojila Tunnel, scheduled to be held on June 09 at the Eastern Portal.
On his arrival at Drass Market, he was accorded a grand and traditional welcome by a large gathering of people. The public welcomed him with folk music, flowers, and traditional khatak, while chanting slogans in praise of the motherland India, the Central Government, and the UT Administration.
Speaking on the occasion, Councillor Abdul Wahid welcomed the Chief Secretary to Drass, marking his first visit after the region was granted separate district status. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the UT Administration of Ladakh for conferring district status to Drass.
In his address, the Chief Secretary thanked the people for the warm reception and congratulated them on achieving district status. He stated that the promise made to the people of Drass has been fulfilled, adding that on the very day of the district notification, key administrative appointments, including the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, were also made.
He also expressed happiness over the upcoming breakthrough of the Zojila Tunnel, noting that it will significantly benefit the people of Drass by boosting tourism and improving livelihood opportunities. He invited suggestions from the public for further promoting tourism in the region and assured that appropriate measures would be taken.
The Chief Secretary reiterated that the Administration is committed to ensuring balanced and equitable development across all districts of Ladakh.
At Drenmo Lodge in Mushkoo Valley, two delegations led by Councillors Abdul Wahid and Abdul Samad met with the Chief Secretary and presented several demands concerning the area. The Chief Secretary listened patiently and assured them that their concerns would be addressed in due course.
Present on the occasion were, Deputy Commissioner Drass, Imteeaz Kacho; SP Drass, Ishtiyaq Kacho; SDM Drass, Vishal Atri; Councillors Abdul Samad and Abdul Wahid, and other departmental heads.