Major Mountains and Mountain Passes

A passable passage through a mountain range or over a ridge is known as a mountain pass. A mountain pass is defined as a distance of 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) between the top and the mountain in the high mountains. Passes have played an important part in trade, war, and both human and animal migration throughout history since many of the world's mountain ranges have posed significant barriers to movement. It's known as a hill pass at lower heights. A mountain pass can be formed by erosion by water or wind, or it might be formed between two volcanic peaks.

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A mountain is a raised section of the Earth's crust with steep sides and exposed bedrock. A mountain, which rises at least 300 meters (1000 feet) above the surrounding plain and has a smaller summit area than a plateau, is larger than a hill and has a smaller summit area than a plateau. Only a few mountains have isolated tops, while the majority are found inside mountain ranges. Most mountains are formed from Earth's tectonic plates smashing together. Below the ground, Earth's crust is made up of multiple tectonic plates. On average, these plates move at a rate of about one to two inches each year. When two tectonic plates come together, their edges can crumple.

Mountain Passes Around the World:

Thousands of named passes exist around the world, some of which are well-known, such as the Great St. Bernard Pass in the Alps at 2,473 meters (8,114 feet), the Chang La at 5,360 meters (17,590 feet), and the Khardung La in Jammu and Kashmir, India, at 5,359 meters (17,582 feet). On and near the China–India border, the roads at Mana Pass, at 5,610 meters (18,410 feet), and Marsimik La, at 5,582 meters (18,314 feet), appear to be the world's two highest motorable passes. At 4,693 meters (15,397 feet), the Khunjerab Crossing connects Pakistan and China and is a high-altitude motorable mountain pass. Thorong La, at 5,416 meters (17,769 feet) in Nepal's Annapurna Conservation Area, is one of the most famous but non-motorable mountain passes.

Important Passes in India:

Let’s take a look at some of the important passes in India. 

List of Mountain Passes in Peninsular India (Southern India)

The Peninsula is a vast landmass that juts out into a body of water. The Indian Peninsular Plateau is shaped like a triangle and is part of ancient Gondwanaland. It stands between 600 and 900 meters tall on average. The Eastern Ghats of Coromandel, the Western Ghats that run along India's west coast, the Aravalli in the northwest between Gujarat and Rajasthan, and the Vindhya and Satpura ranges in central India make up this region. Horizontal motions can be found in the Himalayas, whereas vertical movements can be found on the peninsular plateau.

The List of mountain passes in peninsular India are explained below:

• Bhor Ghat: It was the Satavahana Dynasty's old trading route that connected the Konkan coast ports with the Deccan plateau's surrounding districts. The projected Golden Quadrilateral Freight Corridors pass through this ghat. Situated on the Western Ghats' summit. 

• Goran Ghat: It connects Udaipur (Rajasthan) with Sirohi and Jalore in the state of Rajasthan. It sits at the height of around 1200 meters above sea level. It is located in the Aravalli Range, south of Mount Abu. Gurushikar and Mount Abu are separated by it.

• Palghat: Palakkad Gap is another name for it. It is a major mountain pass in the Western Ghats mountain range in southwestern India that extends along Kerala's whole eastern border, separating it from Tamil Nadu. It is situated between Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore and Kerala's Palakkad. 

• Chorla Ghat Pass: The pass is known for its unusual species of wolf snake (Lycodon striatus) and is located in the Western Ghats' Sahyadri mountain range (on the intersection of the borders of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra). It connects the Indian states of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

• Malshej Ghat Pass: Quails, rails, crakes, flamingos, and cuckoos are among the many species of birds that may be found in the Malshej Ghat Pass and located in the Western Ghats' Sahyadri Range (Lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats).

• Naneghat Pass: The pass is also known as Nanaghat Pass or Nana Ghat Pass. It was once a part of a well-travelled trade route. In this location, there are several caverns, including a big cave with Hindu Sanskrit writings in Brahmi script. The names ‘nane’ and ‘ghat’ signify coin and pass, respectively. Because this path was utilised as a tollbooth to collect tolls from traders traversing the hills, it was given this name, located in the Western Ghats' Sahyadri Range. It runs between the Pune district and Junnar City.

• Tamhini Ghat Pass: The pass is known for its vast green Ghats, hazy roadways, and flowing waterfalls, located in the Western Ghats' Sahyadri Range. It runs through the Pune district, connecting the talukas of Mulshi and Tamhini.

• Amboli Ghat Pass: Wildlife, deep mountainous forests, Hiranyakeshi temple, and a multitude of waterfalls can all be found at the Amboli Ghat Pass, located in the Western Ghats' Sahyadri Range. It connects Maharashtra's Sawantwadi with Karnataka's Belgaum.

• Kumbharli Ghat Pass: The pass connects the coastal Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra's Konkan region with the Desh region's Satara District. It is situated in the Western Ghats. It connects the coastal Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra's Konkan area with the Desh region's Satara district.

Mountain Passes and their Role in Building Transport Accessibility in Peninsular India:

• Gaps, saddles, cols, and notch are all used in mountain passes. The highest point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge is marked by a topographic saddle, which is comparable to the mathematical idea of a saddle surface. Passes are marked on a topographic map by contour lines with an hourglass shape, indicating a low point between two higher locations. 

• A drainage split is formed by bypasses that are commonly found immediately above the source of a river. A pass can be quite short, with steep slopes to the top, or a valley that is many kilometres long, with only the highest point discernible by surveying.

• Roads, as well as railways, have been built via passes for many years. To allow speedier traffic movement throughout the year, some high and difficult crossings may have tunnels constructed beneath a neighbouring hillside (such as the Eisenhower Tunnel bypassing Loveland Pass in the Rockies).
  The summit of a pass is often the only level ground in the vicinity, and it provides a great view. In some situations, this makes it a desirable location for construction. If a national border follows a mountain range, there is usually a pass across the mountains, as well as a border control or customs station, and maybe a military installation. With a total of 42 mountain passes, the boundary runs north-south along the Andes mountains. A tiny roadside sign with the name of the pass and its elevation above mean sea level is usual on a road over a pass.

• Passes, in addition to providing a reasonably straightforward route between valleys, also provide a route between two mountain tops with the least amount of drop. As a result, it is typical for tracks to intersect at a pass, making them useful even for transit between a summit and the valley level. Trade routes, communications, cultural exchange, military expeditions, and other activities used passes in the past.