GANGTOK: The Army has proposed a separate traffic corridor for trade with China through the Nathula Border Pass.
In order to streamline the existing infrastructure, especially road transport, the Army feels that a better traffic management plan needs to be in place at Nathula.
The GOC, 17 Mountain Division, Major General Vijay Singh Lalotra, YSM, SM, has said that a separate road from Sherathang Trade Mart to Nathula post is necessary in order to ensure free flow of traffic, that of both tourist as well as trade vehicles.
At present, there exist a single lane road to Nathula which is used by the Army as well as the tourists and the traders involved in border trade. The alternate road has been necessitated by the fact that managing the smooth flow of traffic on this route is a huge logistics nightmare. Furthermore, the road from Nathula Dwar to the Post is a 6 km one-way traffic route. Managing this open one-way traffic road to Nathula, with Army, tourists and traders’ vehicles plying at the same time is a daunting task for the Army, given the strategic important of the place and security concerns.
The solution lies in creating a separate bonded road for traders, a common practise in places where trading routes are located in high security areas. This separate sealed corridor should be closed for any other traffic which will not only ensure free flow of in-bound and out-bound trade vehicles across Nathula, but will also ensure better security arrangements.
“A separate bonded route only for Border traders can be constructed from Nathula Gate, in addition to the existing road, to the Nathula Post. This will facilitate smooth traffic flow and also take care of security concerns. Once the traders have passed through the customs and security check at Sherathang, the vehicles bound for Donqingang Trade Mart in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) can move forward without any more checks along the bonded route,” the GOC said.
While stressing that the Army has never hindered the Nathula trade but instead facilitated it, the GOC said that the outlook of the Army towards the Border trade “has always been positive.” “The Army has always played a pro-active role in the Nathula trade and we will continue to do so in the future as well,” he said.
The GOC also clarified that there has been no orders to frisk traders and have their consignments checked repeatedly although already passed by the customs officials. “We are responsible for the security of the nation and given the strategic location of Nathula and its proximity to Gangtok, a State capital, it is imperative that security concerns are of top priority there. We are also responsible for the safety of the traders. However, if our personnel posted at Nathula have carried out any unnecessary checks on the traders, this will stop immediately,” he said.
The Army has also suggested that whenever any infrastructural development is planned for Nathula, it should also be consulted and taken into confidence. It has indicated that the State Government should also take the advice of the Army whenever any developmental activity is planned for Nathula. The need for a better coordination and working relationship between the Army and the State Government has always been felt in the past and it makes more sense in present times in view of the resumption of trade over Nathula.
“Border trade and the nation’s security go hand in hand. The reopening of Nathula Border for trade with China has heralded a new era of economic growth and prosperity for the State. We will ensure that both takes place effectively,” the GOC said.
In order to streamline the existing infrastructure, especially road transport, the Army feels that a better traffic management plan needs to be in place at Nathula.
The GOC, 17 Mountain Division, Major General Vijay Singh Lalotra, YSM, SM, has said that a separate road from Sherathang Trade Mart to Nathula post is necessary in order to ensure free flow of traffic, that of both tourist as well as trade vehicles.
At present, there exist a single lane road to Nathula which is used by the Army as well as the tourists and the traders involved in border trade. The alternate road has been necessitated by the fact that managing the smooth flow of traffic on this route is a huge logistics nightmare. Furthermore, the road from Nathula Dwar to the Post is a 6 km one-way traffic route. Managing this open one-way traffic road to Nathula, with Army, tourists and traders’ vehicles plying at the same time is a daunting task for the Army, given the strategic important of the place and security concerns.
The solution lies in creating a separate bonded road for traders, a common practise in places where trading routes are located in high security areas. This separate sealed corridor should be closed for any other traffic which will not only ensure free flow of in-bound and out-bound trade vehicles across Nathula, but will also ensure better security arrangements.
“A separate bonded route only for Border traders can be constructed from Nathula Gate, in addition to the existing road, to the Nathula Post. This will facilitate smooth traffic flow and also take care of security concerns. Once the traders have passed through the customs and security check at Sherathang, the vehicles bound for Donqingang Trade Mart in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) can move forward without any more checks along the bonded route,” the GOC said.
While stressing that the Army has never hindered the Nathula trade but instead facilitated it, the GOC said that the outlook of the Army towards the Border trade “has always been positive.” “The Army has always played a pro-active role in the Nathula trade and we will continue to do so in the future as well,” he said.
The GOC also clarified that there has been no orders to frisk traders and have their consignments checked repeatedly although already passed by the customs officials. “We are responsible for the security of the nation and given the strategic location of Nathula and its proximity to Gangtok, a State capital, it is imperative that security concerns are of top priority there. We are also responsible for the safety of the traders. However, if our personnel posted at Nathula have carried out any unnecessary checks on the traders, this will stop immediately,” he said.
The Army has also suggested that whenever any infrastructural development is planned for Nathula, it should also be consulted and taken into confidence. It has indicated that the State Government should also take the advice of the Army whenever any developmental activity is planned for Nathula. The need for a better coordination and working relationship between the Army and the State Government has always been felt in the past and it makes more sense in present times in view of the resumption of trade over Nathula.
“Border trade and the nation’s security go hand in hand. The reopening of Nathula Border for trade with China has heralded a new era of economic growth and prosperity for the State. We will ensure that both takes place effectively,” the GOC said.
