Parking your car, joining a queue and filling out paperwork at the border could add to your journey to Gelephu. With about 23,000 vehicles expected to enter through Indian highways for the raising of 108 Stupas, the Royal Bhutan Police is introducing advance clearance forms from tomorrow to speed up border formalities and ease congestion.
Without the forms, travellers may have to park their vehicles and queue at Indian check post counters to provide their details manually. The RBP says the new procedure was developed in consultation with its Indian counterparts to reduce waiting times and help keep traffic moving.
From tomorrow, travellers must download and print the SSB Check Post Clearance Form, completing one copy for each vehicle. They must fill in the driver and vehicle details and attach copies of the CID cards of all passengers.
The documents must be presented to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) officials at Dathgari, opposite the Gelephu ICP, and Muray, opposite the Naharani ICP. Travellers must submit the forms upon arrival and follow the same procedure when leaving Gelephu.
“We would like to request everyone travelling in and out of Gelephu through the Indian highways for the 108 Project to kindly download the travel forms from our website or Facebook page, get them printed and filled out with your details, for submission to the SSB officials at the respective check posts. This will help the Indian SSB maintain records and ease traffic congestion,” said Colonel Chogyel Drukpa, Media Spokesperson for 108 Stupas, Royal Bhutan Police.
The RBP says its personnel at the Integrated Check Posts will also assist travellers, wherever possible, by checking whether the required documents are ready before departure.
Meanwhile, the RBP is asking vehicle owners using designated parking areas in Gelephu to write their names and contact numbers on their vehicles. This will help authorities contact owners quickly in case of emergencies.
With thousands of vehicles expected to converge on Gelephu for raising of 108 Stupas, authorities are hoping the advance clearance process will reduce queues at the border and keep traffic moving.
Passang Dorji/Karma Wangdi, Gelephu
