Leh, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Vinai Kumar Saxena officially laid the foundation stone for the first Model Border Village of Ladakh at Chumur, launching the initiative under the Vibrant Village Program in the Changthang district of Eastern Ladakh.
The event featured cultural celebrations by local youth and senior citizens, highlighting community backing for the project. The Vibrant Village Program focuses on developing self-reliant, climate-resilient, tourism-enabled, and economically vibrant border villages across the high-altitude frontier regions of India.
Situated at an altitude of 16,700 feet along the Indo-China border, Chumur consists of 24 households with a total population of 91 residents, all heavily involved in Pashmina rearing and production. Chumur is among 10 villages chosen for transformation during the initial phase of the program in Ladakh. The broader development model concentrates on modern infrastructure, employment generation, livelihood creation, tourism promotion, all-weather functionality, and civilian-defense integration.
The project will deliver 24 modern, climate-resilient houses featuring thermally insulated walls to the residents of Chumur. Every home will be built with an additional room dedicated to homestay tourism to boost household incomes.
Construction is expected to finish by September 2026, depending on seasonal weather conditions. A major priority of the program is the promotion of Pashmina products and local handicrafts, aimed at driving financial independence for villagers and reversing migration trends from remote border regions.
The overall initiative intends to secure national border settlements while improving regional stability and economic growth.
