Gangtok, June 24: Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling today expressed happiness over the agreement reached between India and China to reopen trade route between the two neighbours through the historic Nathula Pass situated in the hill state. Thanking Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for succeeding in reviving the historic trade route through Sikkim, Chamling said that he was highly satisfied to see that one of his government's long pending demands had been fulfilled.

The Chief Minister said that the revival of the ancient trade route will become a major conduit for business activities between the two nations.

"As far as Sikkim is concerned the reopening of the trade route will give tremendous boost to the promotion of tourism and increase the commercial and export-oriented activities in this region," the Chief Minister said.
Chamling hoped that this decision will help Sikkim become a hub of business activities in the north eastern region which will benefit enormously from the resultant economic spin-off generating employment for the people of the state.

The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister and also deputy prime minister L K Advani for the breakthrough achieved in Sino-Indian relations and said Sikkim should prepare itself to meet the challenge in the volume of commercial activity in the state triggered by the reopening of the trade route through Sikkim
Bureau Report