Bhutan Consul General meets Arunachal CM

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday stressed on connecting Bhutan by road from Tawang to boost tourism in both the countries.

He made the point when Bhutanese Consul General Phub Tshering paid a courtesy call on him here.

The Consul General accompanied by Consul Sherub Phuntsho is on a two-day visit to Arunachal, which not only shares border with Bhutan but also has close cultural and religious affinity, particularly with the eastern districts of the state, according to the CM office.

During the discussion, Khandu said the road on Indian side in Tawang district is almost ready, however construction is yet to begin on the Bhutan area.

He informed the Consul General, having consular jurisdiction over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, that with the support of the Union government, surface and air connectivity in the state have received a major fillip in the recent years.

While rail connectivity to Tawang from Bhalukpong is expected to be complete by 2020, proposal has been made to build an airport in Tawang.

"When these projects are complete, tourists will throng West Kameng and Tawang districts in huge numbers. If we open the road from Tawang to Bhutan, both our states will immensely benefit. Its a win-win situation for both states, he said.

Khandu said his government is ready to sort out any concerns of the Bhutan government and even proposed that till the road is constructed a ropeway could be built to attract tourists.

Congratulating Bhutan for being a favourite of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Khandu said the country is close to India, particularly to the Arunachal Pradesh.

He also appreciated Bhutan for its progress and sound economy despite being a small Himalayan kingdom.

"We have a lot to learn from Bhutan, especially in optimally utilising our rich hydropower and tourism potentials, which are more or less same as that in Bhutan," he said.

Acknowledging huge tourism potential of Arunachal, Tsheringe suggested to focus on high-end tourism to generate revenue.