Issuing a press statement Tuesday, Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said their attention was drawn by the reports concerning the “proposal to set up immigration check points at Pashupatinagar and Lumbini” thereby “compromising Nepal´s national sovereignty”.
“These are misleading representations of discussions held during the Home Secretary level talks between India and Nepal held in Kathmandu on 1st June, 2013. The proposal to set up immigration check points on both sides of the border at Pashupatinagar and Lumbini was made in good faith and in the best interests of Nepal in order to facilitate foreign tourist traffic (of third country nationals) through these points,” said the statement.[break]
The statement said that the establishment of immigration check point at Pashupatinagar is intended to facilitate movement of foreign tourists from Darjeeling to Ilam, and the one at Lumbini to facilitate those who wish to visit Lumbini after completing the Buddhist circuit in India. “Presently, such tourist traffic is routed through Kakarbitta and
Bhairawa, respectively, which have the requisite immigration check points,” the statement further said. “However these are circuitous routes which increase the traveling time and distance for foreign tourists, thereby discouraging their movement to Ilam and Lumbini.”
As the absence of convenient crossing points for foreign tourists is an obstacle to tourism promotion efforts, tour operators had raused the issue at the Joint India-Nepal Tourism Mart organized by the Embassy of India at Lumbini in cooperation with Nepal Tourism Board on 14-15 January 2013.
“Immigration check points are never established by any country in the territory of the other country, but adjacent to each other in their own territories. There is no question whatsoever, therefore, of India establishing immigration points within Nepalese territory at Pashupatinagar and Lumbini,” added the statement.
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