NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay was awestruck by the infrastructure development on the Chinese side when he crossed the border through the newly-opened Nathu La pass for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims.
The Rajya Sabha MP and his wife Vandana were the first to cross over to the Chinese side this year from the newly-opened Nathu La pass in Sikkim.
Vijay, who made the arduous journey twice in the past, said he amazed by the development on the Chinese side this time.
“On the Indian side our vehicle would run at around 20-25 kmph. But when we started our journey in Tibet, our vehicle cruised at around 120-140 kmph. This shows the infrastructure development in the region. It also indicates that we need to upscale our infrastructure urgently,” Vijay said.
Comparing his trip in the past, the MP said this time it only took him around 15 days to complete the journey.
“This was my third journey to Kailash Mansarovar. The first time I went from the Uttarkhand side in 1992 it took around 27 to 31 days. The travel conditions were harsh, there was lack of hygiene, no phone connection. It was simply unimaginable. There is another route from Nepal, but it is considered to be very dangerous, but one can complete it in 11-13 days.
“But this time, we completed the journey in just 15 days.
Even at this altitude, there are good hotels and medical facilities. The Chinese on the other side were very welcoming,” Vijay, who is the president of Parliamentary Group on India China Friendship, said.
Le Yucheng, Chinese ambassador to India, and the chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) Losang Jamcan welcomed the batch of 35 pilgrims on the Chinese side.
During the 1962 Sino-Indian War, Nathu La witnessed skirmishes between soldiers of the two countries. Shortly thereafter, the passage was sealed and remained closed for more than four decades.
“It is difficult to imagine that the place which was once point of tussle, Nathu La is now the point of tea party,” said the former editor of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Hindi weekly Panchajanya.
The Kailash-Mansarovar yatra in the TAR is considered as one of the most arduous journeys because of high altitude, low level of oxygen and difficult terrain. Famous dancer Protima Bedi lost her life while she was on the yatra in Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand.–PTI
