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Banihal Pass
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Banihal Pass (Hindi: बनिहाल दर्रा, Urdu: بانہال درا) is a mountain pass across the Pir Panjal Range in India at a maximum elevation of 2,832 m (9,291 ft). It connects the Kashmir Valley in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the outer Himalaya and the plains to the south. In the Kashmiri language, "Banihāl" means blizzard.[1]
Key Information
The road from Jammu to Srinagar transversed Banihal Pass until 1956 when the Jawahar Tunnel was constructed under the pass. The road now passes through the tunnel and the Banihal Pass is no longer used for road transport.
As from the Banihal Pass a sharp change in nature and mountains can be seen. The natural surroundings of Kashmir reveal themselves through the Banihal and Jehlum valley roads.
Zaban Glacier is a famous hill station located in the Sanglaab Valley, close to the Banihal Pass. This glacier is situated to the west of the village of Khairkoot. The glacier is almost 2 km long in the lap of Sundur Top (3,660 m above sea level) Zaban Glacier is also the origin of Bachliri Nallaha, the main tributary of the Chenab River. Local tourists visit this glacier from April to mid-August. The glacier is connected by road to the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, en route from Nowgam. It is almost 3 km from Nowgam and 2 km from Sanglaab colony.
References
[edit]- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica Online. "Banihāl Pass". Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
Banihal Pass
View on GrokipediaBanihal Pass is a mountain pass traversing the Pir Panjal Range in the Himalayas at an elevation of 2,832 meters (9,291 feet), situated in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, India, and serving as the principal land route linking the Kashmir Valley to the Jammu region.[1][2] Historically closed during winter due to heavy snowfall, the pass has been rendered accessible year-round through engineering interventions, including the 2.85-kilometer Jawahar Tunnel completed in 1956 at 2,194 meters elevation and the longer 8.5-kilometer Banihal-Qazigund Road Tunnel at 1,790 meters.[2][3][4] These infrastructure elements along National Highway 44 facilitate essential connectivity for transportation, trade, and military logistics between the isolated Kashmir Valley and mainland India.[2] Recent enhancements, such as the four-lane Banihal Bypass inaugurated in early 2025, address congestion and bolster strategic security by improving traffic efficiency on this vital corridor.[5] The pass's role underscores its enduring geographical and operational significance in overcoming the Pir Panjal barrier, which rises sharply to separate the temperate valley from the subtropical plains.[2]