Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Nyoma
Village in Ladakh, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Nyoma[a] is a principal village of southern Ladakh in India, the headquarters of an eponymous subdivision, tehsil, community development block and Indian Air Force Base in the Leh district.[4][5] It is located on the bank of the Indus river after its 90-degree bend near Dungti east of Nyoma and before the valley narrows to a gorge near Mahe northwest of Nyoma. The Nyoma tehsil and subdivision cover all of southern Ladakh, including the Rupshu plains south of Nyoma, the Indus valley of Skakjung north of Nyoma, and the Hanle valley. Nyoma gompa, a Buddhist monastery, is located on the hill slope north of the village.
Remove ads
Geography
Summarize
Perspective
The Indus river after its entry into Ladakh flows in a southwesterly direction after Demchok through a wide valley [past Skakjung pastureland on it's right bank]. Afterwards [at the northwestern end of Skakjung pastureland], it takes a 90-degree bend at Dungti blocked by the higher ground of the Chushul valley in the north. The village of Nyoma lies 33 km west of the bend on the right bank (northern bank), where it is also coupled with another neighbouring village Mood (or Mud or Mad). The Indus river here is said to be wide and shallow. It could be easily forded.[1][6]
Nyoma is located 41 km southeast of Chumathang,[7] and 87 km south of Chushul. Nearby villages are Mahe and Loma. Hanle, the largest village in southern Ladakh, is 80 km to the southeast. Mount Sajum on the border with China is 43 km to the east.
Nyoma tehsil borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China on the south and the east. The southern border runs along the Chumar village in Rupshu and the Imis Pass at the end of the Hanle valley. The eastern border, a Line of Actual Control resulting from the 1962 war with China, runs along the Kailash Range watershed of the Indus river till the village of Dumchele and narrows to the right bank of the Indus river up to Demchok.
The road from Leh runs till the village of Koyul, crossing the Indus river at Loma. From Koyul to Demchok, there is only a rough track. An alternative border road runs between the Koyul Lungpa valley and Demchok via the Umling La pass.[8][9]
Remove ads
Military facilities
Summarize
Perspective
Nyoma Airbase
Nyoma is home to an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) of Indian Air Force that was built in 1962 but remained unutilized. It was reactivated in 2009 when an An-32 landed in this airfield.[2] Now the airbase at Nyoma of the Indian Military is fully operational.
The airbase received the Wildlife Board's forest clearance in 2022 to expand into 508 hectare of land inside Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.[10] The Government of India announced in January 2023 that this airstrip will be upgraded in two years by the end of 2024 at a cost of ₹218 crore (US$26 million) to a 1,235 acre full fighter jet airbase at 13,700 feet (4,200 m) elevation with an expanded 2.7 km paved runway with ability to recover airplanes and minor repair facilities. Aeroplanes can land from both directions on this airstrip.[11] Chushul, Fukche & Leh are other nearby airbases & ALG airstrips.
The construction of an airbase at Mudh, Nyoma was assigned to Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in 2023. The project will cost ₹218 crore (US$26 million). This will be the world's highest airfield at 11,000 ft (3,400 m). As of October 2024, 95% of the work for Runway at the airbase is complete. The runway is ready for emergency use by all aircraft including fighter aircraft. The base will be formally commissioned in September 2025 after allied infrastructure like hangars, an air traffic control building, and hard-standing areas are completed.[12]
As of July 2025, the Mudh air base at Nyoma is expected to be operationalised by October that year. The 46 m (151 ft)-wide runway is fully operational, while the supporting infrastructure—such as the ATC complex, hangar, crash bay, watch towers, and accommodation facilities—is also nearly complete. The airbase will be available for combat aircraft operations by early 2026.[13][14]
Field Firing Range
Nearby Nyoma is Indian Military's "Mahe Field Firing Range" (MFFR) on 1,259.25 ha (12.5925 km2) land inside the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. Firing range is 40–50 km (25–31 mi) from the disputed India-China Line of Actual Control. This is the one of its kind firing range in the entire Indian-held Ladakh region where all types of weapons can be fired.[15]
Remove ads
Infrastructure
Roads
Roads infrastructure this area is being enhanced under the India-China Border Roads projects.
Telecommunication
Wildlife clearance was granted in 2022 for laying optical fiber cables in the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary for the internet and telephony connectivity.[15]
Tourism
Since 2010, foreign tourists with Inner Line Permits are permitted to visit Nyoma and its monastery.
Administration
Nyoma subdivision
The permanent civilian habitations under the administration of the Nyoma community development block (district subdivision) include villages like Nyoma, Hanle, Koyul, Demchok, Tsaga, Mudh, Rongo, Nyedar, etc.[16]
Nyoma village
According to the 2011 census of India, Nyoma has 202 households. The effective literacy rate (i.e. the literacy rate of population excluding children aged 6 and below) is 49.94%.[17]
Remove ads
See also
Notes
- Variations of the spelling include "Nyama",[1] and "Neoma".[2] The village was referred to as "Nimu" or "Nima" during the British Raj period.[3][1]
References
Bibliography
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads