Modi govt may relax restricted area permit for foreign tourists

Foreign tourists, except those from Pakistan and China, may soon be allowed to visit locations that were kept out of bound so far for them without a special permit.

The Union home ministry is examining whether to relax the six-decade-old Restricted Area Permit regime, under which foreigners must obtain a special permission to visit Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir among others.

“Discussions are on with the state governments to relax the Restricted Area Permit provisions for some areas for foreign tourists,” Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju told PTI.

Rijiju said the MHA will coordinate with other agencies and states to identify the possible locations for which the Protected Area Permit and the Restricted Area Permit provisions may be relaxed. An MHA official said the citizens of Pakistan and China, however, are unlikely to be given these relaxations.

The move is being initiated to promote tourism, create jobs for locals and generate revenue for the state, he said.

Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958, all areas falling between the Inner line and the International Border of some states have been declared as protected areas. The protected areas currently include whole of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, besides parts of Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the guidelines, a foreign national is not normally allowed to visit a protected or restricted area unless the government is satisfied that there are extra-ordinary reasons to justify his or her visit. PTI

NEW DELHI: AT PRESENT, FOREIGN NATIONALS MUST OBTAIN A SPECIAL PERMIT TO VISIT ARUNACHAL, SIKKIM AND PARTS OF HIMACHAL, U’KHAND RAJASTHAN AND J&K