Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur now open without permit...

I was in Nagaland 2 weeks ago and i have no idea about ILP for Manipur. BUT the political situation wasn.'t good whilst I was there. I was warmed away from there and I know of other western tourists having problems. Maybe OK for Indian but not for Westerner?

I checked the website of Press Information Bureau (GOI) earlier today re whether the waiver had been extended, but could find no info.

That's the problem>>> No information about the permit waiver extension or not.....
What should I do now.... I am stranded at Karimganj (Assam) for 3 days...

Pls help me anyone!!!

Anwarul Karim Raju

That's the problem>>> No information about the permit waiver extension or not.....
What should I do now.... I am stranded at Karimganj (Assam) for 3 days...

Pls help me anyone!!!

Anwarul Karim Raju

@Anwarul: Cannot answer the question about ILP for Manipur for a Bangaldeshi. However wish to add the below info in case it is of any use:

I was at the Zam-Zam-Travels Counter (near Capital Taxi/Sumo Stand) at Silchar on 19th Dec-2011 morning when I was surprised to see Share-Sumo's running to Imphal. I asked the Zam-Zam agent if Sumos are running to Imphal despite the blockade? he said blockade is lifted and sumos are running now. No issue on safety/security to make that road trip via Jiribam. I was greatly tempted to cancel my Shillong sumo seat and go to Imphal but in the end decided not to do that.

The telphone number of Zam-Zam Travels are:
Silchar: (03842) 235992
Gauhati: (0361) 2639617
Maybe they will be able to answer your question? You can call and ask them.

PS:
Also another contact: Sherowali Tours & Travels
Silchar (O): 247054
Cell: 9435213283 / 9435200727

.

<cross-posted with KS>


Well, what's your actual plan? With a valid visa you can at least go upto Shilchar, so why wait at Karimganj?

You could try calling the following tel nos. to find out if they have any new info:

1) Manipur Bhavan, Kolkata
033-24758075/24758163

2) Manipur Bhavan, Guwahati
0361-2540707

3) Tourist Information Centre, Imphal
0385-2224603/2220802

posted info about nagaland instead of manipur in error. sorry guys and thanks dw...

Hmm SB, the guy's nationality is clearly mentioned in post #105.
And he wants to enter Manipur, not Nagaland (although they were both covered by the same waiver).

dw thanks for that, i inadvertently skipped through a few post and only saw the last one...not the first time it has happened to me last few days...
goa is getting too hot and i am a bit spacey....gotta be more careful..

raju,
let us know what you find out.
i am also very, very curious...
sb

The posts and pictures of my Dec-2011 Northeast-Tour of Nagaland, Cachar (Assam), Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya have been moved to a new thread, link below:

Our Northeast Tour to Nagaland, Cachar (Assam), Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya
.

When are you coming?

I am curious if I can travel to Nagaland next month. Hard to tell if the lifted restriction has been extended for another year in 2012. If someone can confirm that would be great!

I did find this:

http://www.hornbillfestival.com/inde...d=118&Itemid=2

New Delhi, Jan. 14: Foreign tourists will be able to continue visiting Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland as the Centre has exempted the three states from the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime for the second year in a row. It means that once foreigners get visas, they can travel to these states without the mandatory permission of the ministry of home affairs that is required for areas notified under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958. The ministry of home affairs had initially excluded the states for a period of one year with effect from January 1, 2011, through a circular dated December 30, 2010. “That exemption has been extended for one more year,” a home ministry source said.

Unfortunately for foreign tourists, the ministry has failed to notify the extension on its website, creating some confusion. Foreign tourists will, however, still require special permits from the home ministry for visiting Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan. Citizens of Myanmar visiting the three states beyond the regulation 16km from the Indo-Myanmar border will also require prior approval of the ministry, as in the past. Official sources said foreign tourists would also have to get registered with the foreigners’ registration officer (FRO) of the district they visit. The district superintendent of police is the FRO.

But citizens of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and foreign nationals originally from these countries will, however, still require prior approval of the home ministry before visiting these states. The continuance of the exemption gains significance in the light of the developments, particularly in Manipur and Nagaland. The two neighbouring states may have witnessed milder violence levels in recent times, but tension prevails across the ethnically volatile neighbours as more and more militant factions are surfacing while politicians continue ignoring fractures in society. On the other hand, festivals like the Hornbill Festival in Nagaland have drawn huge numbers of foreign tourists, prompting the Centre to continue the exemption. (Special Correspondet, The Telegraph)

I saw that the PAP exemption for froeigners is extended to 2012 here: http://www.hornbillfestival.com/inde...d=118&Itemid=2

PS: sorry ... later saw same link/info posted above

Is solo traveler allowed?

Some news for 2013 ( Ban on foreign tourists going to North-east lifted) - http://www.thestatesman.net/index.ph...40921&catid=36