July 6: On This Day in World History … briefly
On the Tibetan side two highways - from Kangmar to Yadong and from Yadong to Nathu La - were listed in the 2006 construction plans. Plans are also underway to extend the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Yadong over the next decade.
2006: Ancient mountain pass between India and China reopens after 44 years
Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Himalayas in East Sikkim district. It connects the Indian state of Sikkim with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. The pass, at 4 310m (14 140 ft) above mean sea level, forms a part of an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road. ‘Nathu’ means ‘listening ears’ and ‘La’ means ‘pass’ in Tibetan. On the Indian side, the pass is 54km (34 miles) east of Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Only citizens of India can visit the pass and then only after obtaining a permit in Gangtok.
Nathu La is one of the three open trading border posts between China and India; the others are Shipkila in Himachal Pradesh and Lipulekh (or Lipulech) at the trisection point of Uttarakhand–India, Nepal and China. Sealed by India after the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La was reopened in 2006 following numerous bilateral trade agreements. The opening of the pass shortens the travel distance to important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the region and was expected to bolster the economy of the region by playing a key role in the growing Sino-Indian trade. However, trade is limited to specific types of goods and to specific days of the week.
It is also one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions between the two armies to improve relations
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
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