Traders satisfied with facilities at Renquinggang

Gangtok: The 100 traders from Sikkim who went across Nathula to the Renquinggang trade mart in the Tibet Autonomous Region soon after the pass was reopened for Indo-China border trade on Friday have came back satisfied with the infrastaructure put up there.

The pass was reopened after 44 years of closure on July six.

Motilal Lakhotia, one of the leading businessmen of Sikkim who had a shop at Latung in Tar before the closure of the route in 1962, said the trade mart at Requinggang had all the basic amenities.

"Accomodation for at least 10-12 traders for their overnight stay, restaurants, tea stalls, clean restrooms, proper water supply, a bank and attractive counters displaying items of trade are all there at the trade mart," Lakhotia said adding that he found the facilities there beyond his expectations.

The president of the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce S K Sarda who was also among the group described the facilities at Renquinggang trade mart as 'very modern'.

"With 28 spanking new shops and a number of telephone booths, the trade mart at Renquinggang has a very modern appeal," Sarda told PTI.

Former president of the Travel Agents Association of Sikkim Paljor Lachungpa, who was also among the group found the trade mart 'beautifully made'.

Though grateful to their counterparts at Renquinggang for their warm treatment, traders from here could not communicate much due to language problem.