After remaining closed for more than 40 years, the pass is due to open for trade on 2006-07-06. The pass is useful for indo-china foreign trade promotion.
The route leading up to the pass is one of the world's highest navigable roads, and is maintained by the Border Roads Organisation, a wing of the Indian Army. On the Pass the Indian army and the Chinese border guards are within touching distance of each other. To visit the Indian side of Nathula, a visitor's permit must be made one day in advance, which is done by any travel agency
The pass is 56 kilometres east of the capital Gangtok. Although just 5 km north of the Jelepla pass, the Nathula pass is not navigable in winters as it receives heavy snowfall. Temperatures in Nathula regularly dip to -25 °C in winters. The pass is open only to Indian nationals on Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. On other days is it in use for exclusive military use. A no man's land is absent, and the border consists of a barbed wire fence. Every Thursdays and Sunday post between the two nations are exchanged, a tradition dating back many decades
