High Court of Sikkim directs State policy to ease tourist traffic at Nathu La

BIJOY GURUNG

GANGTOK,: The High Court of Sikkim has directed the State government to come out with a policy to regulate the movement of tourist vehicles to Nathu La, after noting that permits are being issued for up to 800 vehicles a day even though the border destination has parking capacity for only 500 vehicles.

Nathu La international border is a premier tourist destination, located at an altitude of 14,400 ft and about 52 km from Gangtok.

During a PIL hearing on September 7, the High Court of Sikkim said the State should fix a standard number of vehicles that can be parked at Nathu La in a day and consider prescribing a time limit for vehicles to reach the destination and return after the visit.

Daily permits for 800 vehicles to visit Nathu La are provided. It was submitted to the court that the maximum parking capacity is 500 vehicles.

The court cautioned that allowing all the permitted vehicles to reach the point at the same time could result in congestion and become a nuisance for tourists visiting the popular border destination.

“The State will have to come out with a policy for standard parking in a day by fixing a time limit from entry and exit points. If entire vehicles in one go reach the point, it might result in a nuisance for all the tourists who visit this place. In such a perspective of the matter, the State while reviewing the policy shall consider fixing a time limit to reach a particular point and return through that point after the visit at Nathula,” said the division bench of Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan.

The division bench was hearing a suo moto PIL regarding tourism infrastructure and traffic management.

It was submitted to the court that the State government has sought detailed reports from all districts regarding traffic pressure points, major traffic bottlenecks, peak-season deployment plans, and the feasibility of a three-tier traffic regulation mechanism in the identified major tourist destinations of Sikkim.

Upon receipt of the district-level reports, the same will be examined and consolidated at the Police Headquarters for formulation of a comprehensive State-level traffic management framework for major tourist destinations and traffic-sensitive areas of the State, it was submitted to the court.

The High Court of Sikkim directed the State respondent to complete the exercise for the comprehensive State-level traffic management framework based on the report within a period of four weeks.

The PIL is listed for the next hearing on October 8.