Kargil, Drass transformed from battlefronts to hubs

Twenty-seven years after the Kargil War, Drass and Kargil have emerged from remote battlefronts into thriving urban and tourism hubs. Literacy rose from 20% to over 74%, new colleges and a 300-bed hospital were built, and the Zojila Tunnel (opening 2028) will ensure year-round connectivity. Tourist footfall surged from 300 in 2000 to over 200,000 this year, with 250+ hotels now serving the former battlegrounds.