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Nathula trade route reopens in June
Gangtok: The bilateral trade between India and China through the historic Nathula Pass in Sikkim will take place from June which helps in the socio-economic growth of northeast region. "Nathula trade route will be reopened in June, thereby ending speculation about the reopening of the trade route," Department of Commerce and Industries, Principal Secretary Karma Gyatso said. He, however, did not mention the actual date for the launch of the bilateral trade route and said that the finalisation of the actual date lies with the Centre. According to Gyatso, the infrastructure completed at Sherathang Mart in Nathula for border trade, which have been handed over to the government departments concerned and institutions.
In
the bilateral trade, the state government had fulfilled its role of a
facilitator. Sherathang is the place where trade mart has been set up,
besides, a provision of parking for trucks which will carry material between
the two countries. Apart from this, related infrastructure like a 250
KVA power substation and an 11 KVA transmission line, a BSNL telephone
exchange, a branch post office, a SBI branch and other offices including
customs and excise check posts have been set up at Sherathang. A two hundred
and fifty member delegation from the central and the state government
had inspected newly developed infrastructure at Nathula and Sherathang.
The trade route closed between the two neighbours since 1962. With the
opening of the historic trade route the volume of trade through Nathula
is expected to grow manifold. It is expected to touch 206 crore by 2007,
two thousand two hundred and sixty six crore by 2010 and twelve thousand
two hundred three by 2015. This enhanced trade will greatly improve the
infrastructure in India's northeast, besides creating employment and boosting
the traditional industries of the region. India and China decided to open
the Nathula pass in 2003 during the visit of the then Prime Minister Atal
Behari Vajpayee to Beijing.
-May 26, 2006
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