Toiling High by Xavier Galiana

Hundreds of miles from their homes, a group of labourers are toiling in a cold Indian Himalayan desert to repair some of the world's highest roads.

Stationed near Chang La pass which is perched at a height of 5,360m (17,590 feet), the 13 men, whose home is the low-lying eastern state of Jharkhand, have little experience of cold climes.

They have been hired for four months in the Tangtse district of Ladakh, where blizzards can rage throughout the year, to ensure that the key tourist route to the picturesque Nubra Valley and Pangong lake is in good condition.

Their back-breaking stint will fetch them 40,000 rupees (US$572) each - a considerable sum in a country where more than 21 per cent of the 1.3 billion population lived on less than two dollars a day in 2011.

Road maintenance workers from J... India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state and local workers from Ladakh ride on the back of a truck at the end of their working day along Pangong Lake road in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from I... India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state work along Pangong Lake road in northern India's Ladakh region.

A road maintenance worker from ... India's Ladakh region.

A road maintenance worker from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state, carries buckets of paint to restore road markers along Pangong Lake road near the Chang La pass in northern India's Ladakh region.

Raj Shekhar (L), 33, and Tej Na... India's Ladakh region.

Raj Shekhar (L), 33, and Tej Narayan, 30, road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state, take shelter behind rocks during inclement weather along Pangong Lake road near the Chang La pass in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state head back to their campsite following a day's work along Pangong Lake road near the Chang La pass in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state work along Pangong Lake road in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state eat lunch while labouring along Pangong Lake road near the Chang La pass in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from I...ng day along Pangong Lake road.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state and local workers from Ladakh ride on the back of a truck at the end of their working day along Pangong Lake road.

Road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state and Ladakh head back to their respective campsite and homes after a day's work along Pangong Lake road near the Chang La pass in northern India's Ladakh region.

Raju Dheri (R), 19, and Surinde... India's Ladakh region.

Raju Dheri (R), 19, and Surinder Tudu, 22, road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state, wash in a river next to their campsite after a day's work near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state play cards inside their tent following a day's work at their campsite near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

(L-R) Chota Montu, 25, Raj Kuma... India's Ladakh region.

(L-R) Chota Montu, 25, Raj Kumar, 19, and Raju Dheri, 19, road maintenance workers Jharkhand state, warm up around a bonfire at their campsite near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state eat dinner inside their tent at their campsite near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Rajesh Manji (R) and Raj Shekha... India's Ladakh region.

Rajesh Manji (R) and Raj Shekhar, road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state, eat breakfast before their work day at their campsite near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

(L-R) Tej Narayan, 30, Rajesh M... India's Ladakh region.

(L-R) Tej Narayan, 30, Rajesh Manji, 28, and Sunil Tutu, 33, road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state, wait for transportation to their work site near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Raj Shekhar, 33, a road mainten... India's Ladakh region.

Raj Shekhar, 33, a road maintenance worker from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state, shaves on his day off at his campsite near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from Jharkhand state warm up with the first rays of the sun, as they wait for a ride to their worksite at their camping grounds near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.

Road maintenance workers from Jharkhand jump at the buck of a truck collecting them in the morning from their campsite near Tangtse village be in northern India's Ladakh region.

General view shows the campsite... India's Ladakh region.

General view shows the campsite of road maintenance workers from India's low-lying eastern Jharkhand state, near Tangtse village in northern India's Ladakh region.