Bum La Pass

The Bum La Pass is a border pass between Tibet's Cona County and India's Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh. It is 37 km away from the town of Tawang and 43 km from the town of Cona (Tsona Dzong). The pass currently serves as a trading point between Tawang and Tibet.[1] It is also an agreed Border Personnel Meeting point for the security forces of China and India.

Bum La Pass
Border Personnel Meeting point at the Bumla Pass
Elevation15,200 feet (4,600 m)
LocationCona County (Tibet) and Tawang district (Arunachal Pradesh, India)
RangeHimalaya
Coordinates27°43′25″N 91°53′30″E

Location

An old traders road went from Tawang via Milakatong La Pass ("La" in the Tibetan Language means "pass") to Bum La Pass and finally to Tsona Dzong in Tibet.

History

1962 Sino-Indian War

The road to Bum La is also a historical route, the People's Liberation Army of China invaded India during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Here in Bum La Pass one of the fiercest battle took place in the 1962 Sino-Indian War.

Opening of Trade Route in 2006

In 2006, Bumla pass was re-opened to traders for the first time in 44 years. Traders from both sides of the pass were permitted to enter each other's territories, in addition to postal workers from each country.[2][1]

Climate

It is often covered with heavy snow throughout the year. It is one of the most off-beat passes in the world and is also referred to as the pass from where Dalai Lama entered India escaping from Tibet.[3]

Tourism

Visit by civilian tourist of India is permissible with permission from the Indian Army. The track is very treacherous, only SUVs advisable, and that too only on clear weather day with no snowfall or rainfall.

The area includes route taken by the 14th Dalai Lama when he escaped China and reached India to take refuge.

Sangestar Tso

Created by falling rocks, boulders and trees in an earthquake, there is a Sangestar Tso lake (lake is called Tso in Tibetan) that featured Madhuri Dixit (Bollywood actress) in the movie Koyla, as a result this lake is sometimes also called Madhuri lake. The lake is about 20 km from Tawang town, about 7 km beyond the bifurcation of road leading to Bum La Pass.

Heap of Stones Monument

There is a Heap of Stones where tourists and visitors place to place a pebble on the Heap of Stones as a reminder that Mighty Himalayas as our Guardian of Northern Frontier and as a tribute to the Indian Army guardians of the border.

Indo-China Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) point

It is one of the five officially agreed Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People's Liberation Army of China for regular consultations and interactions between the two armies to improve relations.[4]

Here, there is a hut on the India side where border meetings are held by the rival armies.

Permit

A special permit is required to visit Bum La Pass. The Permits can be requested at the Office of the Deputy Commissioner in Tawang District, and the same has to be stamped in the Indian army cantonment of Tawang. Without the army stamp, visitors will not be allowed through the numerous check posts on the way.[2]

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See also

References
  1. Indo-China Border Trade, Department of Trade & Commerce, Government of Arunachal Pradesh, retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. "BUMLA PASS". sevendiary.com. sevendiary.com. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  3. "Bum La Passmountain pass". travelomy.com. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  4. "Indian soldiers prevent Chinese troops from constructing road in Arunachal". The Times of India. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2017.

"Bumla Pass, Tawang". mustseeindia.com. Roam Space Travel Solutions Pvt Ltd. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2013.

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