From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: The Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, on Friday emphasised on the importance of building a road between Tawang to the neighbouring Himalayan country of Bhutan in an attempt to boost tourism on both sides of the international border.
He made the point during an informal discussion with the visiting Bhutanese Consul General Phub Tshering from the Royal Bhutanese Consulate General, Guwahati, who made a courtesy call at the latter’s office in Itanagar.
Khandu emphasised on the need for connecting Bhutan by road from Tawang, which he claimed would boost the tourism sectors of both Bhutan and India.
He said that the road on the Indian side of the border in Tawang was almost ready, however construction is yet to begin on the Bhutan side.
The Consul General, who was accompanied by Consul Sherub Phuntsho, is on a two-day visit to Arunachal Pradesh which shares one of its international boundaries with Bhutan and has close cultural and religious affinities particularly with the eastern part of Bhutan.
Khandu informed the Consul General, who has consular jurisdiction over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, that with the support of the Indian Government, surface and air connectivity in the state has received a major push in recent years.
He said that while rail connectivity to Tawang from Bhalukpong is expected to be complete by 2020, a proposal had been made for establishing an airport in Tawang.
“When these projects are complete, tourists will throng for West Kameng and Tawang districts in huge numbers. If we open the road from Tawang to Bhutan, both our state and Bhutan will immensely benefit from this. It will be a win-win situation for both of us,” he stressed.
Khandu said that the government is ready to sit and sort out any concerns of the Bhutan government.
“We have a lot to learn from Bhutan especially in optimally utilising our rich hydropower and tourism potentials, which are more or less same,” he said.
Meanwhile, Consul General Phub Tshering acknowledged the huge tourism potential of Arunachal Pradesh.
He said that the state government could collaborate with Bhutan in the tourism sector and advised for focusing on high-end tourism to generate revenue.
“This is a big state and it has huge potential,” Tshering said and offered the assistance and cooperation of his Guwahati-based office.