Border trade through Old Silk rout Resume from Monday

Nathula,04 April:

The Nathua border trade for the fourth consecutive year today started today with a low key participation from the Indian traders.

However sixty Chinese traders in the first day crossed the border to operate their business for this year.

The border reopened at 11am in the morning. On other side none of the Indian traders could cross the border due to non availability of the travel pass.

Amidst slight drizzling of snow fall Ujwal Gurung, the Director of Commerce and Industries Department, Sumitra Pradhan, the Deputy Secretary offered khadas to the traders at the Nathula post.

Later both the traders accorded each other a warm welcome at Sherathang Mart hoping for a more business prosperity this year.

‘We are not pretty happy with the response from the Indian traders on first day’ said Kesang Diki, an official from Trade and Commerce (TAR) from the Chinese region.

While interacting with the media she said, as usual the revision of the lists of items is the major factor in which the business transactions will depend this year.

‘India desperately needs to come up with more infrastructure facilities for the smooth trade, she pointed out.

Pretty dismayed with the non-availability of the travel pass the Indian traders also expressed their dissatisfaction even for not reaching up to Nathula border.

‘ Understanding the urgency we request the concerned authority to kindly issue the pass as earliest as possible’ Anil Kumar Gupta, the General Secretary of Indo-China border trade association told the reporters.

On other hand Ujwal Gurung, the Director of the concerned department informed the Ministry of Commerce and Industries Department has already sanctioned Rs. Cores for the construction of a high class mart at Sherathang and the work would be soon commenced.

‘Also the construction work of parking yard, cafeteria would be soon accomplished’ he added.

Stating that the matter of revision of lists of items still lies in the Ministry he said, Mani Shanker Iyer, the Chairman of NEC has already placed a proposal to declare Nathula trade as open trade under Most Favored Nation ( MFN).

Nathula Trade which was reopened in the year 2006 had a total export of Rs 10 lakhs, 27 lakhs and 97 lakhs for the year past three successive years .

While the import were merely Rs 10 lakhs, 7 lakhs and 1 lakhs.