Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: Sikkim is overhauling its permit system to claw back millions. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang revealed a massive Rs 27 crore revenue gap from Restricted Area Permits (RAP) and Protected Area Permits (PAP). The state saw 15 lakh tourists in 2025, a volume that should have yielded Rs 31 crore. Instead, official records show a meager collection of Rs 3.64 crore.
The government blames the manual process for rampant leakages. Officials reported instances where police checkpoints allowed vehicles through without proper accounting. To stop the drain, the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department introduced an integrated online, geo-fenced permit system. The platform, developed under the Sikkim INSPIRES initiative, mandates that only state-registered tour operators and drivers can access RAP and PAP routes. Private vehicles registered outside Sikkim are banned from these paths, as are hatchbacks under 1,000cc like the Alto and WagonR.
Geo-fencing begins at the Rangpo border. Officials confirmed the digital shift aims for, "quality over quantity," regarding tourism. Revenue collected will be ring-fenced to improve the specific sites that generate it. Future plans include using these funds to develop tourist amenities. Senior official Raj Yadav noted that the department is, "open to modifying the framework based on suggestions from stakeholders."
Key changes include removing permit-issuing authority from the police and Army. Home Department officials will handle special cases. Police officers found bypassing the system face immediate suspension. While stakeholders pushed back against a proposed one-hour validity window, the state agreed to extend it to two hours. The government also pledged that no fees will be charged for the permits themselves. Security for the platform will mirror the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Vahan application. Tourism Department Chairman Tenzing Norgay Lachungpa and senior officials remain in consultation with stakeholders to refine the rollout.
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