New Delhi: Three valley routes in the foothills of the Himalayas between India and China will resume in June. One of these is the Lipulekh Pass or Lipulekh Valley in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand. Similarly, Shipki La Pass in Himachal and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim will also be opened. This is said to be the result of a high-level meeting held by India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi last year.
These valley routes are being opened after six years. India had closed these routes after the brutal attack on Indian soldiers by Chinese soldiers near Galwan in 2020. Before that, trade between people on the border of the two countries was taking place on these routes. Now it will resume.
Where is Lipulekh Pass?
Lipulekh Pass is located in the Himalayas at an altitude of 17,500 feet in the Kumaon region of Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. This is the place where the borders of Uttarakhand, Tibet and Nepal meet. Lipulekh Pass comes near Taklakot, one of the important trading towns of Tibet.
An 80 km road has been built from Dharchula to this Lipulekh Pass within the Indian border. It was completed in 2020. Before the construction of the road, the villagers of the border used to transport goods through animals in this inaccessible valley.
This route is used to go to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar in Tibet. The construction of the motorable road has significantly reduced the travel time.
What goods are traded at Lipulekh Pass…?
Tribal communities on the India-Tibet-Nepal border use this route to sell and buy their goods. People on the Indian side export products like jaggery, spices, tobacco, etc. Products like sheep wool, goat, silk, etc. are imported from Tibet.
The Indian administration has set up a customs post at Gunji near this pass. Facilities like a police check post, SBI bank office, etc. have been opened.
What is Nepal’s objection?
Nepal has been raising a dispute over trade between India and China through the Lipulekh pass since the beginning. Nepal claims that Lipulekh is its territory.