National Highway 1A historically connected Leh with the Kashmir Valley through which important Himalayan pass?

Introduction / Context:
Road connections across the Himalayas are lifelines for remote regions such as Ladakh. National Highway 1A, in its earlier numbering, was a crucial route linking Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley to Leh in Ladakh. Knowing which pass this highway crosses is a common question in Indian geography examinations and helps students understand strategic transport links in mountainous terrain.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question concerns National Highway 1A in its earlier designation.
• The highway connects Leh with the Kashmir Valley.
• The options list four well known passes: Khyber, Zoji La, Nathula, and Karakoram.
• We assume basic knowledge that this road runs between Srinagar and Leh.

Concept / Approach:
The Srinagar Leh road climbs from the Kashmir Valley, passes through Sonamarg, and then crosses the high mountain pass known as Zoji La to enter the Ladakh region. Zoji La is therefore the key gateway connecting the valley with Ladakh. Khyber Pass lies between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Nathula is a pass in Sikkim on the border with China. Karakoram Pass lies further north on the ancient trade route between India and Central Asia. None of these other passes are part of the classic Srinagar Leh highway alignment of National Highway 1A.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that National Highway 1A historically linked Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir with Leh in Ladakh. Step 2: Visualise the route: it runs Srinagar Sonamarg Zoji La Drass Kargil Leh. Step 3: Identify the main pass which the road must cross to move from the lush Kashmir Valley into the cold desert region of Ladakh. This pass is Zoji La. Step 4: Compare the location of Khyber, Nathula, and Karakoram passes and note that they are not on this Srinagar Leh route. Step 5: Conclude that Zoji La Pass is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Any road map of Jammu and Kashmir or travel information about the Srinagar Leh highway clearly names Zoji La as the critical pass on the way. It is often mentioned in news reports about road closures due to heavy snowfall. These multiple references confirm that Zoji La is the pass crossed by National Highway 1A between the Kashmir Valley and Leh.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Khyber Pass: Located between Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is part of a historic trade and invasion route, not part of the Srinagar Leh road.
• Nathula Pass: Situated in Sikkim on the India China border, it connects India with Tibet and is unrelated to Ladakh.
• Karakoram Pass: Located on the India China border in the Karakoram range, it is historically important but not part of National Highway 1A.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse different high mountain passes simply because they are all famous names. To avoid this, always connect each pass with its region: Zoji La with Kashmir Ladakh, Nathula with Sikkim, Khyber with Pakistan Afghanistan, and Karakoram with the northern frontier of Ladakh and Xinjiang. Making such mental maps prevents mix ups in exam questions.

Final Answer:
National Highway 1A connected Leh with the Kashmir Valley through the Zoji La Pass in the Himalayas.