Kalimpong, Oct. 24: The people of Kalimpong have not given up on Jelep-la, the oldest trade route worked out from this subdivisional town entering Tibet through Sikkim.

Even as Sikkim gets ready for the reopening of Nathu-la, the Committee for Re-opening of Zalepla-Kalimpong Trade Route will meet chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee to submit a memorandum, demanding the revival of this once-flourishing trade route.

The committee was formed in 1993, when the talks had first begun on reviving the Sino-Indian trade route through these passes, and had become defunct by the end of the same year since nothing important came out of the talks.

The body was revived in August this year and has for its members, businessmen, political leaders and people from Kalimpong’s chamber of commerce.

According to old timers, Kalimpong was then the main centre of commerce and trade and the main pass was Jelep-la in southeastern Sikkim. It was closed in 1962 after the Indo-China war.

Residents believe the reopening of the route could do a world of good to the industry-starved subdivision.

J.B. Rai, the general secretary of the committee, explains why this route should get a chance.

“The main reason going for this trade route is that Jelep-la remains closed for only two months during winter because of bad weather. Resumption of trade with China through Nathu-la will not be enough. This is because it is impossible to travel on that route for six months. This is Jelep-la’s main advantage,” said Rai.

The opening up of the route would come as a major booster for the local economy.

“If the Jelep-la route is opened, it will benefit the people here as the scope of making a good income here is now limited,” Rai said.

The committee was confident that the route could be opened without much cost.

“Some infrastructure is already present. The government will not have to spend much to develop it. There are still two godowns which can be used for storage purpose after minimal repairs. Some other infrastructure is also in place in the town.”

The committee’s main hope rests on the earlier memorandums they had submitted to the then chief minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu. Basu had forwarded the letter to the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

Quoting from Basu’s letter addressed to the then Prime Minister, Rai said: “The entry point for the import and export of goods and commodities was Jelep-la in Sikkim, which was connected to Kalimpong through an all weather road. Along with Nathula in Sikkim, Jelep-la may also be considered as a point through which the trade route can be opened once again.”

Rao had responded positively to Basu’s letter.

Quoting from Rao’s reply, Rai said: “We shall certainly be looking into the possibility of Kalimpong also serving as a point for our trade in goods with Tibet.”