No More Illegal Off-Roading: Ladakh Slaps INR 2 Lakh Fine on Tourists Driving Into Pangong Lake
In a major enforcement drive against environmental degradation, the Ladakh Administration has launched its first-ever criminal prosecution and heavy penalty campaign targeting illegal off-roading by tourists.
In a major enforcement drive against environmental degradation, the Ladakh Administration has launched its first-ever criminal prosecution and heavy penalty campaign targeting illegal off-roading by tourists. Acting under the directive of Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, the Union Territory's Wildlife Department has penalized four out-of-state tourists a total of ₹2 lakh for driving vehicles into ecologically sensitive habitats, including the world-famous Pangong Lake.
The enforcement action took place on June 26, following recent violations across several protected wildlife zones. The Wildlife Department slapped a fine of ₹50,000 on each of the four offending vehicle owners under the stringent provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The intercepted vehicles, which belonged to individuals from Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, were impounded during the investigation and only released after the penalties were paid. Ladakh LG Vinai Kumar Saxena Marks 100 Days in Office, Highlights Progress in Green and Sustainable Development Projects.
According to officials, the incidents were tracked through routine terrain patrolling by wildlife personnel alongside active social media surveillance. Flagrant violations were reported at Merak and Lukung along the banks of Pangong Lake, Nurboo La in Hanle, and Sumur in Nubra Valley, all of which fall under the Leh Wildlife Division.
Specific cases detailed by authorities included a Punjab-registered Mahindra Thar being driven directly into the waters of Pangong Lake near Merak on June 23 for stunt purposes, causing clear habitat disruption. In another incident, a Uttar Pradesh-registered Hyundai Creta was flagged after video evidence emerged showing it off-roading near Lukung inside the Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary. Additional violators included a jeep driven through a river stream in the Karakoram (Nubra-Shayok) Wildlife Sanctuary and a car filmed chasing an endangered Tibetan gazelle near Hanle.
The Ladakh Administration highlighted that this decisive action marks a significant shift from warnings to strict prosecution. Lieutenant Governor Saxena urged tourists, vehicle owners, and adventure enthusiasts to travel responsibly, reminding the public that off-roading in or near protected habitats remains a severely punishable offense. LG Vinai Kumar Saxena Approves Landmark Tourism Reforms in Ladakh to Boost Tourism and Hospitality Industry.
Ladakh Launches Major Crackdown on Illegal Tourist Drives
Acting strictly against rising menace of illegal off-roading, including cases of tourists driving cars in the ecologically sensitive lakes and river streams in Ladakh, the Ladakh Administration, on the directions of Lt. Governor Shri VK Saxena, has for the first time, begun… pic.twitter.com/zTr6x8p2TB
— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2026
The move has been widely welcomed by local conservationists, who have long raised alarms over the rising menace of self-drive tourist vehicles damaging the high-altitude region's extremely fragile cold-desert ecosystem.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 28, 2026 01:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
