Editorial: No Roads for Tourism

The highways are the modern world’s great rivers. Just as most ancient civilisations came up on the banks of major rivers and their tributaries, so too in the present times does every developmental initiative demand the presence of reliable roads. One would desire good roads, but given Sikkim’s road experience of the recent past, even all weather roads would suffice. As much as road disruptions inconvenience the residents, they also interrupt ‘development’. Undeniably, after government service, it is the tourism sector which engages the most people, after all, now, nearly as many tourists visit Sikkim every year as there are people living in the State. At present, the condition of the roads is so challenged that the priority is to keep the residents connected, and while this is important, more urgency needs to be added to the repair and restoration effort by reminding the concerned agencies that the same roads also carry tourism into the State. Everyone needs to appreciate that no matter how many man-hours are spent trying to come up with the most enticing slogans to attract tourists to Sikkim, the efforts will not last beyond one season is the promise/ potential is not backed with infrastructure. Tourism depends heavily on positive word-of-mouth publicity and no traveller, who is already taking a risk visiting places based on just publicity brochures and glossy centre-spreads, will decide on a destination once he is warned about the poor road conditions. Taking Sikkim’s case, one needs to also understand that the State aspires to add pilgrimage tourism to its bouquet of offerings. Needless to add, all those who decide on Sikkim for a religious escape will expect a tranquil stay here. A bone-rattling experience on the road is not something they would have factored in.
It must also be borne in mind that when one says reliable roads, one does not, by any stretch of imagination, imply wide, three-lane blacktops. All that is required is a road that is smooth, safe and reliable. At present, Sikkim roads have none of these qualities. Bad roads (in fact all roads) turn into nightmare experiences during monsoons in Sikkim. Of course, now the BRO has added to the mix with its road expansion exercises on slopes destabilised by last year’s earthquake. Despite whatever Sikkim offers, no tourist wants an “adventure tourism” escape to begin even before s/he has checked into a hotel. Time, which is at a premium for any vacationer, commands no respect on Sikkim’s roads and the expectations are so low among regular commuters that they are satisfied if they can complete a journey without any major stalling at traffic jams idling for a landslide to be cleared. Popular destinations like Tsomgo and Nathula and North Sikkim are effectively out of bounds for the coming tourist season and even West and South Sikkim itineraries operate on poor and unreliable roads. The ride on drier days are uncomfortable, and should it as much as drizzle, then the journey plies on the wings of prayers. So, the road to promoting tourism in Sikkim lies literally in its roads. Improve them, promote well and Sikkim has enough potential to survive even just on the business brought in by the repeat tourists. This also is a matter that lies beyond the Tourism Department’s control, but the other arm, that of Roads & Bridges for the State roads, also belongs to the same Government and BRO is a central agency of the same country. Some coordination, planning and prioritisation should get the roads in better health. There is nothing new in what is being suggested and there must have been several attempts to improve the blacktops in the past, but maybe Sikkim should try harder.