Sikkim to roll out QR-based permits as state overhauls high-altitude travel rules

Key update

Sikkim is preparing a full transition from paper permits to a QR-based digital system for high-altitude and border-sensitive travel.

New digital permit platform

The Tourism Department’s Additional Chief Secretary, C.S. Rao, explained that a new online platform will replace manual procedures for both Restricted Area Permits (RAP) and Protected Area Permits (PAP). Travellers will be able to apply online and receive QR-coded permits on their devices, which can be scanned quickly at security checkpoints.

How the QR permits work

Once the system is live, visitors will no longer need physical paper documents for entry to notified high-altitude zones. QR codes on the digital permits will be used for real-time verification at checkpoints managed by tourism, police, transport authorities and the Army.

Destinations covered

The digital permits will apply to several of Sikkim’s most popular but sensitive destinations. These include Nathu La, Tsomgo Lake, Lachen, Lachung and Zuluk, which currently require RAP or PAP for access.

Goals of the overhaul

Officials state that the shift is designed to cut queues, reduce paperwork and simplify travel during peak tourist seasons. The digital platform is also intended to improve monitoring of visitor flows in ecologically fragile and strategically important regions.

Integration with state systems

Data from the digital permits will be shared across tourism, police, transport and defence stakeholders. This integration is expected to support better coordination, faster checks and more transparent oversight of movements in restricted areas.

Trial phase and rollout

According to officials, trial runs of the new platform are being conducted with a limited set of operators. A broader rollout is expected soon, as the state positions the system as a core part of its updated high-altitude travel rules.

Chungthang–Lachen corridor focus

In parallel with the digital permit project, the government is working to restore the Chungthang–Lachen corridor in Mangan district by December. This route is vital for civilian travel, tourism and logistics but has faced closures due to road damage, landslides and infrastructure repairs.

Government directives

During a review meeting at the Tashiling Secretariat, Chief Secretary R. Telang asked all relevant departments and implementing agencies to coordinate efforts to meet the reopening timeline. Representatives from the 27 Mountain Division, the Border Roads Organisation, Roads & Bridges, Land Revenue and district collectors from Gangtok and Mangan attended the meeting.

Expected impact on travellers

For tourists, the digital permit system promises faster processing, shorter queues and fewer in-person formalities at entry points. Authorities expect that smoother, more predictable access will make high-altitude trips safer and more convenient.

Benefits for the state

For the state administration, digital permits are expected to enhance oversight of visitor numbers and patterns in sensitive areas. The reform is part of a wider push to modernise governance, reduce delays and align tourism management with security and environmental priorities.

“The new platform will eliminate manual procedures for Restricted Area Permits and Protected Area Permits, making travel smoother, safer and easier to monitor,” said Tourism Department Additional Chief Secretary C.S. Rao in connection with the upcoming digital rollout.

Author’s brief summary

Sikkim is replacing paper RAP/PAP documents with QR-based online permits and restoring key high-altitude routes, aiming for faster checks, safer travel and stronger oversight in sensitive Himalayan areas.

CNBCTV18 — 2025-11-23