Doklam and Cho La Opening for Battlefield Tourism

Current Context: The Government of Sikkim will open Doklam Plateau and Cho La Pass for civilian battlefield tourism from September 2025, under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative.

 ABOUT DOKLAM (Doka La)

• Location & Strategic Value: Located at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan, and China, at ~13,780 ft altitude.
• Historical Significance: Site of the 2017 standoff between India and China over Bhutanese territory.
• Purpose: Serves as a strategic defense point for the Siliguri Corridor (Chicken’s Neck).
• Tourism Initiative: Included in Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan; permits limited to 30–50 vehicles/day via Army-cleared routes.

ABOUT CHO LA PASS

• Location: Connects Sikkim and Tibet; ~4,593 m altitude.
• Historical Importance: Site of 1967 Sino-Indian clashes near Nathu La.
• Purpose: Included in heritage tourism to highlight India’s border defence history.
• Tourism Preparation: Infrastructure and security upgrades ongoing with Army coordination.

ABOUT BHARAT RANBHOOMI DARSHAN INITIATIVE

• Launch: January 2025 by Ministry of Defence & Tourism.
• Coverage: 77 strategic locations including Galwan, Siachen, Kargil, Doklam, Cho La.
• Purpose: Boost national pride, border tourism, and local economy.
• Features: App-based permits, virtual tours, and contextual history content.