LEH: The quaint town nestled in the high Himlayas is racing to get a makeover by paving roads, putting in place measures to decongest traffic, rebuilding a heritage market and creating pedestrian-only vistas for tourists before it formally becomes a Union Territory when the Centre formally notifies its status on October 31.

According to deputy commissioner (DC) Sachin Kumar Vaishya, the district administration has blacktopped a total of 250 km of roads within a month of the Centre creating two Union Territories — Ladakh , including Kargil district , and J&K — by scrapping special status to J&K as a state. These include stretches in and around Leh town, Nubra valley as well as Durbuk and Nyoma blocks — all of which cradle popular tourist destinations.

Vaishya took over as DC from Avny Lavasa on August 3, days before the Centre announced Ladakh’s new identity. Since then the administration has been focusing on traffic, which becomes a problem during the tourist season.

The initiative to decongest traffic began with simple measures such as putting dividers and enforcing oneway rule on several stretches of roads within the town.

“We have identified four routes for upgrading. With an appropriate plan, these roads will divert traffic to localities in and around Leh to ease town traffic. We will also give permits for bus service to all hungry routes,” Vaishya told TOI.

The links being upgraded on priority are SNM Hospital-Cheet Chowk, Radio Station-Bom Garh to ensure smooth traffic to Housing Colony, Grand Dragon-BSNL and SNM Hospital-Grand Dragon.

But Vaishya’s piece-deresistance appears to be the Chandu Market project, which will open a formal road to Polo Ground — a major traffic point. The heritage market had fallen into disrepair and is now being rebuilt through an innovative financing plan.

The revamp plan also includes creating a green belt .

