As per a circular issued by the District Magistrate of Leh, Indian Citizens will no longer need inner line permit to visit the following areas and valid ID cards eg. driving license, voter id card, aadhar card etc. would instead be checked at check posts en route (foreigners will still need Protected Area Permit).
Here is the list of places for which permit is no longer required:
- Dah and Hanu (Khaltse – Domkhar – Skurbuchan – Hanudo – Biama – Dha route.)
- Pangong Tso (from Leh to Merak Village.)
- Tso Moriri (Leh – Chumathang – Mahe – Korzok.)
- Loma Bend (Leh – Chumathang – Mahe – Nyoma – Loma Bend.)
- Nubra Valley (Khardung La, Diskit, Hunder, Turtuk, Pachathang, Tyakshi, Sumur and Panamik.)
- Tangyar (Leh – Sabhoo – Digger La – Khungru Gompa – Tangyar, only for trekking.)
In order to visit places beyond these areas, you will need Inner Line Permit from the DC Office and this order will come into effect from the 1st of May, 2014.
While this is welcome news, there is still a slight chance that this might not get implemented on the ground. Since Ladakh goes to vote on 7th of May 2014 and political parties can challenge this order in front of Election Commission.
As a traveler I am really hoping that this order isn’t challenged and at least we Indians would no longer have to go through the permit procedure, in order visit parts of our own country! However, being a realist, I am keeping my fingers crossed and eagerly waiting for 1st of May, to see whether or not this order actually gets implemented.
Reports from travelers currently in Ladakh have confirmed the fact that inner line permit for above mentioned areas is no longer needed. A copy of this order is also available now and can be viewed here.
4 Comments
This is great news! Always wondered why the ILP process was required at all. Anyway they issue ILPs based on one of the Goverment-issued IDs and they never ask for any follow-up verifications, so why not just check the Government ID at Army check posts. Good to see a commonsense approach here. Like you said, how soon it changes on the ground is another matter, but eventually it will happen. this season will be confusing for sure, with many people applying for permits just to be on the safe side and with many hotels and agents advising clients to get one done. But it should be smoother from next year.
Lets see how it goes, overall it is a good step, just that the timing might derail this long needed move.
Having said this, now there is a need for government to start giving permit for more remote areas a bit more liberally.
And I can add that Govt. must consider same for Arunachal Pradesh as well. This land belongs to Indian and its embarrassing to get permit to visit our own land. How come they think we will love the land that out of bound for us. Just open them to us so that we can relate it and have love for each and every piece of our country.
Completely agree Sandeep. IF anything, government needs to open remote areas and promote tourism in those parts of the country. That way, those living even in the remotest areas will feel connected with the rest of India and will have a good livelihood to look forward to.