Work on the country’s first-ever Night Sky Sanctuary, being set up by CSIR in Ladakh’s Hanle area would be complete in over a month’s time.

Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said it when he called on the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, RK Mathur on Friday.

The Night Sky Sanctuary is expected to attract tourists from across the world to the picturesque Union Territory of Ladakh and also boost Astro-tourism in the region.

Further, it will offer a rare opportunity to watch the sky in its full glory of stars and planets in the night from a height of about 15,000 feet in a sparkling background with not an iota of air pollution or atmospheric moisture.

This was a follow-up to the meeting held between the two in the month of September this year when the Union minister announced that the setting up of India’s first-ever “Night Sky Sanctuary” in Ladakh, the Dark Sky Reserve will be completed within 3 months.

The proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.

Both leaders also discussed a wide range of development-related issues pertaining to the Union Territory.

Dr. Jitendra Singh appreciated the efforts of RK Mathur-led Ladakh administration in carrying out development work in various spheres in Ladakh.

He announced all possible Central assistance to complete the developmental projects in UT.