Govt to relax restricted area permit

Aizawl, Nov 9: In a bid to woo foreign travellers into the state, the Mizoram government has moved the Centre for relaxation of Restricted Area Permit (RAP).

State Tourism Minister Z H Ropuia said the Home Ministry was considering allowing free access to foreigners and it has been decided to move the Centre for relaxation of the RAP instead of totally retrieving it.

Even with the RAP, as many as 248 foreign tourists visited Mizoram from 2005 till January this year. The number of foreign tourists visiting Mizoram from 2000 till January 2006 has come to 1560, the minister claimed.

Mr Ropuia also admitted that foreign tourists complained over accommodations and said that most of the state's tourist lodges are in bad conditions. ''Together with the Indian Tourism Corporation and other private companies, we are planning to establish several three star hotel accommodations in Mizoram under a centrally sponsored scheme. As a first step, we have made a Rs 5 crore porject for renovation of the Chaltlang Tourist Lodge.'' The Tourism Minister also informed that about Rs 1.32 lakhs has been earned from the tourist attraction at Reiek Peak where a typical Mizo village had been constructed as a tourist attraction.

UNI