After Nathula Govt to open Jelep-La Sino-Indian trade route

Source: iSikkim and The Economic Times

Siliguri, 11 May, 2012

It is time for the beginning of summertime Sino-Indian trade through Nathula pass. Despite lot of initial buzz, the trade route through Sikkim’s Gangtok to Nathula could not meet the expectation in last 9 years since the Sino- Indian agreement on this. Now revival of the older Sino-Indian trade conduit, Jelep-La, through Kalimpong in West Bengal- is on the line that can meet the expectation.
A proposal on this has been filed earlier by Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee during his External Affairs Ministership. The matter is at present under consideration of ministry of Commerce and Industry(MOCI)- informed Mr. Mukherjee when asked.
MOCI urged Government of West Bengal to submit a report on the commercial viability, nature of possible trade, benefit of the state and region and availability of infrastructure in both sides.
Subsequently, “Following state Government’s urge, CII has prepared and submitted a report to the relevant authorities advocating for consideration of the proposal,” said Ms. L. Kaushal, Secretary, CII NB Chapter.
Jelep La(14,300 ft) the best accessible Indian path to the silk route through India-Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction was on use for centuries by Indo-Tibetan traders to transport wool, musk, yak tails, skins, spices, gold, tobacco, silk or cotton – till 1962 Sino-Indian war.
“Once a poney track, is now a 575 km-long motorable road running from Kalimpong to Lhasa via Chumbi Valley and Yatung in Tibet that can be easily revived,” said Mr. J P Agarwal(85), once a trader himself through Jelepla from Kalimpong that still carries old signs of roaring trade.
“Due to its inherent critical geophysical characteristics, the trade route via Nathula from Gangtok needs to be operated with limited load. Opening up of Jelep-La, geophysically stronger one, may come out as a better alternative,” said geologists.
In 1993, the then WB CM Jyoti Basu also wrote to the then PM of India P V Narasimha Rao- “It appears that only Nathu La in Sikkim will be utilised for Sino-Indian trade purpose…Along with Nathu La, Jelep-La in West Bengal also [ought to] be considered.
Source: The Economic Times