LEH, Aug 24: Chief Secretary, Ladakh, Ashish Kundra chaired a high-level meeting today at Civil Secretariat, Leh to review the existing framework governing Protected Area Permits (PAP) and Restricted Area Permits (RAP) for foreign tourists visiting the Ladakh, with a focus on improving tourist convenience while ensuring regulatory compliance and security requirements.
During the meeting, Administrative Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Sanjit Rodrigues, made a detailed presentation on the prevailing permit regime, including the geographical coverage of permit, restricted areas, particularly in the northern and eastern regions of Ladakh. The presentation outlined the distinctions between Protected Area Permits and Restricted Area Permits, the areas notified under each category, and the existing procedures for issuance and verification of permits, under the provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
The Chief Secretary expressed concerns regarding the verification and validation mechanisms for permits issued to certain category of foreign nationals and emphasised the need to streamline the current system. He underlined the importance of minimizing unnecessary check points that lead to delays and inconvenience for visitors, while developing a more efficient and tourist-friendly permit management framework.
To strengthen and modernise the permit verification process, the Deputy Commissioner, Leh, was advised to examine the feasibility of introducing facial recognition technology and self-registration facilities at designated checkpoints.
The proposed system aims to establish a standardised and seamless mechanism for permit issuance and verification, reducing redundancies and improving the overall visitor experience.
The Chief Secretary further directed that a dedicated meeting be convened with taxi and bike unions, engaged in facilitating travel for foreign tourists, to ensure the proper maintenance of travel records, logbooks and visitor information. He also called for consultation with representatives of hotels, guesthouses and homestays regarding compliance with mandatory registration requirements and maintenance of records through the Form III portal.
Discussions also focused on permit issuance and verification management at designated entry points and checkpoints, particularly along the Changthang axis through Upshi and Kharu, and at North Pullu in Nubra.
The meeting examined the possibility of establishing dedicated foreign nationals’ registration and verification desks at the airport, including separate arrangements for visitors requiring additional scrutiny under the revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Related aspects such as verification of travel purpose, accommodation details and associated documentation were also deliberated.
A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to explore the feasibility of introducing a single PAP for the entire Union Territory of Ladakh, except for specifically restricted areas, which would be explicitly mentioned in the permit. The meeting also resolved to strengthen compliance by making the maintenance of Form III records (earlier known as Form C) mandatory for all hotels, guesthouses and homestays accommodating foreign nationals.
The Chief Secretary directed the Department of Tourism to prepare a revised SOP incorporating the decisions and directions issued during the meeting to facilitate a more streamlined, transparent, and visitor-friendly permit framework for Ladakh. It was underscored that Ladakh is a premium tourist destination and we need to strike a balance between tourism and security requirement, without an intrusive approach.
The meeting was attended by DGP, Ladakh, Anand Jain; Administrative Secretary, PD&MD, Himanshu Gupta; Deputy Commissioner, Leh, Romil Singh Donk and other concerned officers. Officials from other districts joined through virtual mode.