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{{short description|National Highway in Himachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}

{{Infobox road
| country = IND
| type = NH
| route = 505
| length_km = 275
| image = NH 505-F-Kaza to Losar-38-zwei Bruecken-Fluss-gje.jpg
| image_notes = Bridge across [[Spiti River]]
| map = {{Maplink|frame=yes|frame-width=290|frame-height=220|frame-align=center|type=line|stroke-width=3
|id=Q55473625|title=National Highway 505|zoom = 8 |frame-lat=32.12|frame-long=77.95 |text= Map of National Highway '''505''' in red }}
| map_custom = yes
| spur_type = NH
| spur_of = 5
| direction_a = East
| direction_b = West
| terminus_a = [[Khab]]
| terminus_b = Gramphoo
| junction =
| previous_type = NH
| next_type = NH
| previous_route = 5
| next_route = 3
| states = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| destinations =
}}
'''National Highway 505''', commonly called '''NH 505''', is a [[National Highway (India)|national highway]] in [[India]].<ref name=":0" /> It is a spur road of [[National Highway 5 (India)|National Highway 5]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2011/E_574_2012_016.pdf|title=New Numbering of National Highways notification - Government of India|website=[[The Gazette of India]]|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> NH 505 traverses the state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] in India. NH 505 is a high elevation road, covering the [[Kinnaur district|Kinnaur]] and [[Lahaul and Spiti district|Lahaul and Spiti]] districts of Himachal Pradesh, mainly running along the Spiti River in the [[Spiti Valley]]. The highway from Kaza to Gramphu remains closed for 6–9 months in a year due to heavy snowfall and the closure of [[Kunzum Pass|Kunzum La]] pass at an elevation of {{convert|4550|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hplahaulspiti.nic.in/how-to-reach/|title=Access to Lahaul & Spiti district by road|website=Lahaul and Spiti district website|access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://hplahaulspiti.nic.in/road-status/|title=Status of roads in Lahaul and Spiti district|website=Lahaul and Spiti district|access-date=1 February 2019}}</ref>

== Overview ==
National Highway 505 was designated as Himachal State Highway 30 prior to its being named on 4 March 2014 as a national highway.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2014/158866.pdf|title=New highways notification dated March, 2014|website=[[The Gazette of India]] - [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]]|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> The highway runs through the high-elevation, cold desert area of the [[Lahaul and Spiti district|Lahaul and Spiti valleys]] of [[Himachal Pradesh|Himachal]], which area receive negligible rainfall.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=2924|title=State-wise length of National Highways (NH) in India as on 30.06.2017|website=[[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]]|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref> The terrain is barren and treacherous, prone to landslides and disruptions. The road is narrow and rough at places, and crosses the high-elevation Kunzum pass, requiring good driving skills in mountains.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=10 April 2018|title=How to drive to Spiti|url=https://www.cntraveller.in/story/how-to-drive-to-spiti/|journal=[[Condé Nast Traveller]]}}</ref>

NH 505 has been of key importance to the growth of a cash crop economy, mass tourism, and the expansion of telecommunications in Spiti.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Pandey |first=Abhimanyu |url=https://hasp.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/reader/download/1166/1166-43-103429-1-10-20230405.pdf |title=Aktuelle Forschungsbeiträge zu Südasien - 12. Jahrestagung des AK Südasien, 21./22. Januar 2022, Bonn/online. |publisher=Heidelberg Asian Studies Publishing |year=2023 |editor-last= |editor-first= |location=Heidelberg |pages=14–17 |chapter=Fragile mountains, extreme winters, and bordering China: Interrogating the shaping of remoteness and connectivity through roads in a Himalayan borderland}}</ref> This highway provides connectivity to some major Buddhist monasteries and various other interesting places.<ref>{{Cite news |title=15 places to visit in the beautiful valleys of Lahaul-Spiti |work=[[The Times of India]] - Times Travel |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/lahaul-spiti/travel-guide/15-places-to-visit-in-the-beautiful-valleys-of-lahaul-spiti/gs49505730.cms |access-date=2 February 2019}}</ref>

== Route ==
[[File:Tabo Monjastery Entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Tabo Monastery]]]]
The route of NH 505 starts at the [[Khab|Khab Sangam]] in Kinnaur district from National Highway 5. It runs along the Spiti Valley through Kinnaur and enters Lahaul and Spiti district at Sumdo. It continues up the Spiti Valley to Kunzum Pass. It descends and follows the Chandra River to the terminus at Gramphoo.<ref name=":0" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Distances<ref>{{Cite web|title=NH505 route: Khab Sangam to Gramphoo|url=http://openstreetmap.org/browse/relation/8052845|access-date=16 Sep 2020|website=OpenstreetMap.org}}</ref>
! Town/Village !! Up !! Down
|-
| Khab Sangam || {{convert|0|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|273|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Nako || {{convert|26|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|247|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Chango || {{convert|48|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|225|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Sumdo || {{convert|62|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|211|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Hurling || {{convert|70|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|203|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Tabo || {{convert|89|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|184|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Kaza || {{convert|135|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|138|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Losar || {{convert|192|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|81|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Kunzum Pass || {{convert|210|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|63|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Batal || {{convert|221|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|52|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Chhatru || {{convert|253|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|20|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
| Gramphoo || {{convert|273|km|mi|abbr=on}} ||{{convert|0|km|mi|abbr=on}}
|-
|}

=== Kinnaur district ===
The terminus at Khab, Kinnaur district is the preferred point of entry to the [[Spiti Valley]] which is located at an average elevation of {{convert|3,350|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":1" /> This mostly all-weather access point to Spiti Valley from Khab is at an elevation of about {{convert|2,600|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Travelling from [[Chandigarh]] or [[Shimla]] to Khab gives a chance for travellers to gradually acclimatize themselves to avoid altitude sickness. NH 505 climbs steeply from Khab Sangam up to [[Nako Lake|Nako]] ({{convert|3,662|m|ft|abbr=on}}). It descends to Chango on the Spiti River, then enters [[Lahaul and Spiti district]] at Sumdo.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Confluence Spiti Satluj Jun18 D72 6744.jpg|NH 505 enters Spiti Valley from bridge over Sutlej River
File:Nako 2 Stevage.jpg|En route from Khab to Nako
File:Nako 4 Stevage.jpg|Switchback hairpin bends climbing to Nako
File:Leo Spiti NH505 Himachal Jun18 D72 6785.jpg|[[Leo, Kinnaur|Leo village]] on right bank of Spiti, opp. Nako
File:Nako Kinnaur Himachal Jun18 D72 6792.jpg|Nako village from NH 505
File:NH 505-B-Nako nach Chango-06-gje.jpg|En route from Nako to Chango
</gallery>

=== Lahaul and Spiti district ===
[[File:Spiti River Kaza Himachal Jun18 D72 7232.jpg|thumb|right|Broad riverbed of Spiti river above Kaza, Kaza-Kibber road on right]]
From Sumdo, NH 505 runs mostly alongside the Spiti river for about {{convert|130|km|mi|abbr=on}} until Losar. After passing through Hurling, the next town is [[Tabo, Himachal Pradesh|Tabo]] with the well-known [[Tabo Monastery]] and caves. The highway passes through some unusual clay pillars<ref name="Harcourt">{{Cite book|last=Harcourt|first=A.F.P.|title=The Himalayan Districts of Kooloo, Lahoul and Spiti|publisher=W.H. Allen & Sons|year=1871|location=London|pages=27, 29}}</ref> en route to [[Kaza, Himachal Pradesh|Kaza]], the largest town in the Spiti Valley. Near Lingti, {{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} before Kaza, the {{convert|33|km|mi|abbr=on}} road to [[Pin Valley National Park]] branches off over the Attargo Bridge to the right bank of the Spiti.<ref name="AttargoMud">{{Cite web|title=NH-505 Attargo Bridge to Mudh, Pin Valley|url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=graphhopper_car&route=32.1245%2C78.1621%3B31.9593%2C78.0318|access-date=27 Sep 2020|website=OpenStreetmap.org}}</ref> On the Tabo side of Lingti is the road to the [[Dhankar Gompa|Dhanker Monastery]]. In this section, the riverbed is very wide, up to {{convert|500|m|ft|abbr=on}} in places. The river itself is much narrower and meanders in braids along the broad riverbed.<ref name="Harcourt"/>

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Tabo Monastery -Tabo Spiti -Himachal Pradesh -D72 6869.jpg|Tabo with Spiti River beneath distant cliff, June '18
File:NH505 Monoliths Tabo Upstream Jun18 D72 6916.jpg|Clay pillars, Tabo - Lingti, June '18
File:Pin Valley Spiti Himachal Jun18 D72 7092.jpg|Pin Valley Nat'l Park, Mudh village, June '18
File:NH 505-E-Dhankar to Kaza-08-Kaza-Stadt-gje.jpg|Kaza in Spiti valley
</gallery>
[[File:Kye Gompa-10-Klosterburg-gje.jpg|thumb|[[Key Monastery]]]]
After Kaza, NH 505 crosses to the right bank of the Spiti river over the Rangrik Bridge. At the bridge, the Kaza-Kibber road continues on the left bank to [[Key Monastery]] ({{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}}) and the [[Kibber|Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary]] ({{convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}}).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kaza-Kibber road|url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=graphhopper_car&route=32.2477%2C78.0524%3B32.4394%2C77.9090|access-date=27 Sep 2020|website=OpenStreetmap.org}}</ref> NH 505 continues on the right bank running through a flat, narrow valley in which the Spiti Rver has carved a gorge about {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep. The road crosses back to the left bank {{convert|3|km|mi|abbr=on}} before Kialto village. Here, the Kaza-Kibber road rejoins NH 505, a distance of {{convert|22|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Kibber. After Morang and Hanse villages, the valley broadens before Losar village.

After Losar, NH 505 turns up the right bank of the Lichu, a right bank tributary of the Spiti. The road climbs gradually up to [[Kunzum Pass|Kunzum La]], elev. {{convert|4,551|m|ft|abbr=on}}. There is a temple at the pass.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:NH505 Spiti Kaza Losar Jun18 D72 7797.jpg|Spiti gorge above Kaza with NH 505 on the right bank (view from Kibber-Kialto road)
File:NH505 Spiti Kaza Losar Jun18 D72 7800.jpg|Spiti gorge with NH 505 on the right and Kibber-Kialto road on the left.
File:NH 505-F-Kaza to Losar-16-zwei Bruecken-Erosionsformen-gje.jpg|En route from Kaza to Losar
File:NH 505-F-Kaza to Losar-14-zwei Bruecken-gje.jpg|Bridge across Spiti river
File:Losar Jun18 D72 7824.jpg|NH 505 entering Losar from the east
File:Losar Spiti Upstream Himachal Jun18 D72 7831.jpg|West of Losar towards Kunzum La, Elev. {{Convert|4090|m|ft}}.
File:Losar-Kunzum Road Jun18 D72 7836.jpg|Losar-Kunzum Road
File:Kunzum La-24-pass height-gje.jpg|[[Kunzum Pass|Kunzum La]], Elev. {{Convert|4551|m|ft}}.
</gallery>

From Kunzum pass, the highway descends through steep hairpin bends to Batal village on the left bank of the Chandra River. [[Chandra Taal]] is a pristine lake on the Chandra River popular with tourists and high-altitude trekkers. The road to Chandra Taal branches off from NH 505 about {{convert|2.9|km|mi}} from Batal and {{convert|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Kunzum Pass.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=graphhopper_car&route=32.37336%2C77.61564%3B32.46748%2C77.61583#map=12/32.4245/77.6265&layers=C|title=Route from NH-505 to Chandra Taal|website=OpenStreetMap.org|language=en-US|access-date=2020-09-26}}</ref>

From Batal, NH 505 follows the left bank of the Chandra River, practically running on the riverbed in some places, as both sides of the narrow valley are very steep. This section is largely unpaved and impassable during the winter months. Passing through Chotta Dara, the highway reaches Chhatru, where it crosses to the right bank. It climbs steeply and runs along the top of a cliff overlooking the Chandra River until the terminus at Gramphu (Gramphoo).<ref name=":12" />

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:NH505 Chandra River Batal Chhatru Jun18 D72 8022.jpg|[[Bara Shigri Glacier]] on the right bank of the Chandra
File:NH505 Chandra River Batal Chhatru Jun18 D72 8028.jpg|NH 505 runs along Chandra riverbed below Batal
File:NH 505-J-Batal to Chhatru-02-gje.jpg|Batal to Chhatru
File:NH 505-J-Batal to Chhatru-22-Schild-gje.jpg|Chhatru village
File:NH 505-K-Chhatru to Gramphu-08-gje.jpg|Chhatru to Gramphu
File:Gramphoo, Himachal Pradesh.jpeg|Junction with NH 3 on left at Gramphu
</gallery>

== Junctions ==
{{jcttop}}
|[[Kinnaur district]]
|Khab
|0.0
|0.0
|{{jct|NH|5|country=IND}}<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":0" />
|Southeast terminus
|-
|[[Lahaul and Spiti district]]
|Attargo Bridge
|74.6
|120.0
|[[Mud village, Spiti|Mud village, Pin Valley]]<ref name="AttargoMud"/>
|About {{Convert|1.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} NW of Lingti
|-
|[[Lahaul and Spiti district]]
|Gramphoo
|169.6
|273.0
|{{jct|NH|3|country=IND}}
|Northwest terminus
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

== See also ==
* [[List of national highways in India]]
* [[List of national highways in India by state]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|NH 505 (India)}}
{{Indian Highways Network}}
{{IND NH5 sr}}

[[Category:National highways of India]]
[[Category:National highways in Himachal Pradesh]]

National Highway 505 (India) - Revision history

NiklasKinard: Put Up New Article V1