Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) in collaboration with Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) organised a workshop on ‘Sustainable Mobility: Changspa Street’ on April 18, 2018, Hotel Singge Palace, Old Road. This workshop was organised under the Liveable Leh Project 2030, which is funded by European Union and co funded by BMZ. There were 21 participants from government, private sector and non-government organisations (NGOs) in the one-day workshop. The main objective of the workshop was to share the draft designs for the re-development of Changspa Street in Leh with multiple stake-holder groups, and to get feedback and suggestions from the locals.
Avny Lavasa, Deputy Commissioner Leh, was the chief guest at the occasion, whereas the other participants were Gay Lobzang Nyantak, Councillor from Upper Leh; Phuntsog Wangdhan Shunu, Councillor Lower Leh; Anuj Malhotra, Traffic Adviser to Government of Jammu and Kashmir; Moses Kunzang, Additional District Commissioner; Rigzin Spalgon, Administrator, Municipal Committee Leh; Stanzin Losal, Assistant Superintendent of Police, JK Police Leh; Tashi Motup Kau, President of All Ladakh Hotel Association Leh; Tsetan Angchuk, President of All Ladakh Tour Operators Association; Tundup Spalzang, Executive Engineer from Power Development Department (PDD); Wangail Punchok, AEE from PHE; Adarsha Kapoor, Urban designer from Creative Footprints; Alex Campbell from BORDA, Saad Yazdani, architect, and representatives from Changspa village.
The suggestions made by the stakeholders during the workshop were:
- One-way movement of the vehicular movement from main market to Shanti Stupa
- There should be no parking of vehicles along the stretch
- The encroachment/ illegal structures should be removed
- Reach on a consensus with property owners, shop owners and dialogue with the Army as they have a say in this matter
- Connect Changspa Road with Upper Tukcha Road
- Integrate platform with footpath
- Specific timing for heavy utility vehicles
- Demarcate pedestrian and vehicular roads with bollards, different colours
- Ask restaurant owners to make toilets accessible to the public
- Proper signage and maps at the end and beginning of the Changspa road
The major outcomes of the workshop were: