But for the north, Sikkim is open to tourists now: State Tourism Department

SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, NOVEMBER 20, 2023 : Sikkim is all open for tourists except the extreme northern part which has been badly hot by the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) says new notification issued by the State Tourism Department.

The new notification reads: "It is to inform all tourists that only the extreme northern part of Sikkim is not accessible. All the other destinations of the state are open for tourists and there is no any untoward situation as the impact of the flood in Teesta has since normalized." 

The notification further reads: "Therefore, all the regions of Sikkim under different districts, namely Gangtok, Namchi, Soreng, Pakyong and Gyalshing are safe to visit and the weather conditions in these areas are very soothing in this festive season.

Sikkim is all set to welcome the guests,” reads notification. Tourist arrivals have gone down in Sikkim since the GLOF on the intervening night of October 3 – 4. The disaster has taken the lives of 43 people, 70 are still missing. 

The National Highway 10 is still closed to heavy vehicles, smaller vehicles can pass through one-way lanes at stretches. 

More than250,000 people are directly or indirectly associated with the tourism in Sikkim and as per rough estimates the industry was yielding more than Rs 500 crore in revenue before the Covid-19 pandemic.