Bouquet of tourism initiatives to bring shine back to entire stretch of old trade route

GANGTOK-TSOMGO-NATHULA-GNATHANG-RHENOCK-RANGPO AND BACK TO BE MADE A ONE WAY COMPULSORY CIRCUIT; TOURIST AMENITIES TO BE DEVELOPED EVERY 10 KMS; FACILITIES CREATED TO SUPPORT FULL-FLEDGED TRADE OVER NATHULA

SAGAR CHHETRI

GANGTOK, 21 July: On the 29th day on his village-to-village tour today, Chief Minister Pawan Chamling travelled the old trade route going through Tsomgo, Nathula, Kupup, Gnathang and down to Rhenock and Rangpo. At his halts along the way he announced major tourism initiatives on the anvil to bring the shine back to this entire stretch of the old trade route, on the Gangtok-Nathula axis of which sees border trade and receives tourists at present.
At his first stop at the Tsomgo shopping complex, the CM asked the people of the area to compare and evaluate how things were 18 years ago and the changes that the present government has brought about to the area with its priority on tourism.

Stating that the opening the border trade over Nathula after 42 years in 2006 was “just the beginning”, he said that the government was working towards opening Nathula for full-fledged trade in the coming days.
He added that the government was also working on a plan to attract 1 lakh tourists per day to Tsomgo and Nathula, and urged the people to shore up the services provided by them to visiting tourists accordingly.
The CM also sanctioned a Primary Health Centre for Tsomgo today, stating that while this was needed for the locals there, it would also meet the emergency medical needs of visitors. He pointed out that this demand should have ideally come from either the people or the officials, but since they overlooked the requirement, the Government was volunteering it.
Increased trade will require better roads, and the double-laning of the JN Marg was for this reason, he explained, adding that the Government proposed to establish wayside amenities every 10 kms of this stretch.
In this regard, he directed the Forest Department to process environmental clearance for such development along the road in advance. This, he added, would serve two ends – help create required infrastructure for increased tourist and trader traffic, and two, resolve the land rights of people who have resided along this stretch for a long time but are still recorded as encroachers on forest land.
At his next halt, at Kupup, the CM informed that the Hangu lake [above Tsomgo] will be artificially extended and motor boating facilities introduced. Further, for Memencho lake, he directed the tourism and forest departments to start work on eco-friendly carpeting on its feeder road as soon as possible. Other features to be added around the lake are a 6-room Tourist guest house, eco-huts, a walkway and a 10 KW mini-hydro station to meet the energy requirements of the proposed facilities.
Sanctioning the demand for a steel bridge in the area, the CM also asked the concerned authorities to look into forest clearance related demands immediately.
At Zuluk, the CM announced that the 60 houses which have been asked to relocate, the government will provide land and also construct their houses. The demands for a lineman and a community centre were also sanctioned by the CM today.
He further directed the concerned authorities to initiate work on eco-tourism development in the area and added that the government will provide all possible help in marketing of local produce of the area.
The Gangtok-Nathula road has benefitted areas that fall on the route, whereas areas like Kupup, Gnathang, Zuluk, Padamchen and Rongli remain neglected. Addressing this issue at Padamchen, the CM announced plans of reviving this route and making the Gangtok-Nathula road one way in the very near future, extending tourist travel on this axis to these left-out destinations.
At his final halt at Lingtam, he informed that a Tourist Information Centre, Tourist Lodge and Tourist Cafe are under construction. The CM also interacted with the public along the way at places like 4th Mile, 15th Mile, etc.