https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Sky Walk in the Himalayas

Situated at 11,000 feet, the mesmerising Gartang Gali bridge in the Nelong valley of Uttarkashi served as a trading route between India and Tibet at one time.
Indian Masterminds Stories

Do you feel like walking in the sky, in the middle of the wind-kissed clouds? This may seem quite like a fantasy, but it has just become a reality in the mighty Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. A precariously perched wooden bridge at 11,000 feet, which at one time connected India with Tibet, has been renovated and thrown open for the public.

But mind you, walking on the bridge – which runs along the mountain wall and on the other side has a sheer drop of hundreds of feet- is not for the faint-hearted. Adventurous spirits will be drawn more towards it. To make the experience hundred percent safe, only 10 people will be allowed on the bridge at any given time.

The bridge is situated in the Uttarkashi district. And a large part of credit for its reopening goes to the District Magistrate of Uttarkashi Mr. Mayur Dixit.

The bridge, a part of the trading route between India and Tibet, is believed to have been built by Peshawar Pathans around 150 years ago. But it stopped functioning after the Indo-China war in 1962.

Now, 59 years after that war, the bridge comes to life once again and is likely to become a major tourist destination in Uttarakhand.

HISTORY

The ancient Gartang Gali wooden bridge is located in the Nelong valley of Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. While speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Mayur Dixit said “This is an old trading route which was used by the locals of Uttarkashi and people of Tibet. Things like spices, wool, jaggery and other local produce were traded through this route. Unlike other routes that require normal trekking, the locals formed it as a sky-walking bridge. In the earlier days, the bridge was connecting two villages, Jadung and Nelang. Both the villages were emptied after the war and the trading route was stopped.”

As the trading route stopped functioning after the war, an alternate road was made by the Border Road Organisation for people to commute.

REOPENING THE BRIDGE

Many years passed by, but the route still remained damaged and non-functional. According to Mr. Dixit, many queries regarding reopening the route came from the locals in the district. In 2015, the Centre reopened Nelong valley for tourists.

Mr. Dixit said, “The government of Uttarakhand identified this bridge and planned on renovating it as it would be a good tourist spot for the state. As the trading route was stopped 59 years back, the main purpose of renovating it was to promote tourism in the state.”

He added, “We identified traditional ways of renovating the bridge as the height and temperature barriers were a major concern for quick modifications. The work started in September last and was completed in July this year, with an approximate cost of Rs 64 lakh. Initially, no contractors or labours were ready to take up the work, but with a lot of efforts, we involved the PWD department in renovating the bridge. Deodar wood has been used in the construction and various safety measures were taken to avoid any accident.”

The wooden sky-walking bridge or Gartang Gali bridge, which goes upto 136 metre-long and 1.8 metre-wide, has been reopened and has now added new dimensions to adventure tourism in Uttarakhand.

The wooden sky-walk in the Himalayas

In these days of work from home, not all good things can be done through internet alone. To feel the splash of cool air on your face, and that feeling of exhilaration which Himalayas can provide in ample measure, it’s important to set aside the computer and phone screens and step out of your homes. This bridge can be a good choice for both adventure and thrill-seekers.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
nitish-kumar
Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar Inaugurates Rs44 Crore Six-Lane Pull-Up Ramp in Patna, Aims to Ease Traffic Congestion- Know More
CM yogi
UP: CM Yogi Inaugurates Two New Kalyan Mandaps in Gorakhpur, Emphasizes Accessible Celebration Spaces- Full Details Inside
CISF
National Security at Risk: Centre Opposes Supreme Court Ruling Curtailing IPS Deputation in CAPFs, Says IPS Presence is Crucial
sbk-singh-1753948795
IPS SBK Singh Appointed as Delhi’s New DG of Prisons After Brief Police Commissioner Stint
D
PNB Housing Finance Appoints D. Surendran as Non-Executive Nominee Director; Brings 35 Years of Banking Experience - Know More About His Journey
Pushkar Singh Dhami CM
Uttarakhand: CM Dhami Monitors Chamoli Cloudburst Relief Efforts, Army and SDRF Lead Swift Rescue Operation
CM Hemant Soren
Balanced Urban Growth in Jharkhand: CM Hemant Soren Plans State’s Largest Mall with Integrated ISBT in Ranchi
MP Mining Conclave
MP Mining Conclave 2.0: Investment Proposals Worth Rs56,414 Crore Signal a New Era for Mineral-Rich Madhya Pradesh
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
nitish-kumar
Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar Inaugurates Rs44 Crore Six-Lane Pull-Up Ramp in Patna, Aims to Ease Traffic Congestion- Know More
CM yogi
UP: CM Yogi Inaugurates Two New Kalyan Mandaps in Gorakhpur, Emphasizes Accessible Celebration Spaces- Full Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT