Thaindian News

Shimla, Sep 18 (IANS) Rugged and inhospitable terrains of trans-Himalayas are once again ready to test the nerves of motorists next month in the six-day Raid-de-Himalaya - one of the toughest motor rallies in the world.

This time the motor rally, 13th in the series, will mainly zoom through lofty, icy mountains of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. It will be flagged off from Shimla and will culminate in Srinagar.

Vijay Parmar, president of Himalayan Motor Sports Association, the Shimla-based club that annually organises the rally, told IANS Sunday that the ‘Raid’ would be covering approximately 2,500 km in both X-treme and adventure categories.

While the teams from Tata Motors, Mahindra and Maruti are all set to battle out the most predominant adventure class, Team Army, Team Thunderbolt, Team Eagle Motorsport and Team Air Force would be participating in the X-treme class.

Parmar said paraplegic competitor Anurag Bareja from Gurgaon is also participating on par with other competitors in a modified hand-control car.

Keeping in view the mandatory ecological parameters, the rally organisers have introduced sound regulations on the analogy of European norms. “It will be strictly enforced using sophisticated sound monitoring equipments,” he said.

In X-treme category, the first leg of the rally will traverse through Shimla, Mandi and Kullu districts and will halt at tourist resort Manali.

The second leg would pass through Rohtang Pass and halt in Leh Oct 12. The next day it will cover several routes in Leh, including Khardung-La, the highest motorable road of the world located at an altitude of 18,300 feet, and would cover Kargil, Rangdum and Penzi-La. It will conclude in Srinagar Oct 16.

In adventure trial category, after passing through Shimla, Mandi, Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts the rally will enter Jammu and Kashmir, through Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Kokernag, Ananatnag.

From here, it would go from Srinagar to Kargil, Rangdum, Dras, Kargil, Zozi-La and culminate in Srinagar on the same day as of the X-treme category.

Suresh Rana won the 12th edition of the Raid-de-Himalaya in the X-treme car category for the sixth time. He has captured the Raid for five consecutive times.

The motorsport association, a member of the Federation of Motorsport Club of India, has been organising the ‘Raid’ since 1999.