India-Bhutan border gates to reopen from Sep 23

• Image Credit: Internet

• Sep 15, 2022 | Guriya Khatun

The official urged visitors to the Himalayan nation to bring their voter identification cards and other necessary documentation.

Digital Desk: For the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak, the India-Bhutan border gates at Samdrup Jhongkhar and Gelephu along the Assam border will reopen to visitors on September 23.

The gates will be reopened after a two-and-a-half-year absence, according to a Bhutanese delegation led by Tashi Penjore, the Himalayan kingdom's Director (law and order) of the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs, who met with the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) representatives here on Wednesday.

The Bhutan government has announced the reopening of its borders for trade, commerce, and official transit as of September 23, provided that the pandemic situation does not worsen, Penjore stated. This announcement has been made after the improvement in the COVID-19 scenario.

"Over the past two and a half years, many authorities on both sides have changed, making it difficult for us to get together, build friendships, and have the one-on-one interactions that are crucial for those living on the border between the two countries. We anticipate more of these visits, "he said.

After entering Bhutan through the Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar gates, he advised Indian visitors to explore the country's many regions.

He said there are now three new access gates for tourists, adding that before we only provided entry permits at Phuentsholing and Paro.

In addition to environmental preservation, he stated, a Substantial Development Fund (SDF) will be charged for enhancing services and infrastructure.

For tourists, the Bhutanese government has organised ecotourism, birdwatching, and other programmes.

To ensure smooth travel, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been prepared.

He stated that travellers who plan to spend the night and proceed beyond the specified locations will be charged Rs 1,200.

The official urged visitors to the Himalayan nation to bring their voter identification cards and other necessary documentation.

In addition to BTC representatives, the meeting was attended by the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police from the districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, and Udalguri.