Centre may open restricted zones for foreigners

NEW DELHI: Foreigners may soon get easier access to restricted protected areas in Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and other northeastern states for tourism or religious visits, with the home ministry planning to facilitate and expedite the issue of restricted protected area permits (RAPPAP).
"We are actively considering facilitating foreign tourists who until now were sparingly given RAPPAP even to visit tourist religious spots in Ladakh, Arunachal and Sikkim.Based on the reasoning that an Indian visa is issued only after proper security verification, we are of the opinion that all foreigners with a valid visa should not be denied entry to protected restricted areas of tourist or religious interest," an MHA official said.
Sources said while foreigners can now expect to be issued RAPPAP for tourist religious purposes, their entry to areas close to the border will continue to be discouraged. “The purpose is to promote tourism in Ladakh and Sikkim, which have many scenic spots," the official said.
Incidentally, foreigners are now issued RAPPAP only in groups of two or more people. The home ministry plans to issue RAPPAP to a single foreign national too.
Ramayana, Krishna circuits proposed for UP
Projects worth Rs 300 crore for Uttar Pradesh, including Ramayana and Krishna circuits, were cleared by a panel headed by tourism and culture minister Mahesh Sharma on Tuesday. Under Ramayana circuit, 11 destinations spread across six states have been proposed. The destinations will include Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringhverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh); Sitamarhi, Buxar and Darbhanga (Bihar); Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh); and Hampi (Karnataka). Under Krishna circuit, 12 destinations spread across five states have been proposed. The destinations will include Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh) and Puri (Odisha).