Sikkim government will launch an online RAP and PAP permit system to regulate tourism, improve transparency, prevent revenue leakages and monitor tourist movement through AI and geo-fencing.
The Sikkim government is preparing to introduce an integrated online permit system for issuing Restricted Area Permits (RAP) and Protected Area Permits (PAP), with the objective of bringing greater transparency to tourism regulation, preventing revenue leakages and monitoring tourist movement in designated areas, officials said on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang chaired a stakeholders’ consultation on the proposed digital permit system, organised by the Tourism and Civil Aviation Department under the Sikkim INSPIRES initiative. The consultation brought together representatives of tour operators, drivers’ associations, police officials and other stakeholders involved in the state’s tourism sector.
During the meeting, Tourism Department Chairman Tenzing Norgay Lachungpa and senior official Raj Yadav presented details of the proposed framework and sought suggestions from stakeholders before its implementation. The government plans to issue online permits only for destinations that fall under the RAP and PAP system.
A key feature of the proposed mechanism will be geo-fencing, which is expected to ensure that only eligible Sikkim-based tour operators and drivers can generate permits for regulated destinations. Officials said the move would help strengthen monitoring and ensure that tourism-related activities remain within the prescribed regulatory framework.
The proposed permits will be non-transferable and cannot be sold or transferred to another person. Payments for permits will be made through digital channels, reducing dependence on manual transactions. The government also plans to introduce safeguards to prevent misuse of permits and improve accountability in the permit issuance process.
The consultation also highlighted the government’s focus on developing tourism through a “quality over quantity” approach. Officials said the objective is to protect high-value destinations while ensuring that tourism contributes to conservation and local infrastructure.
Yumthang Valley was cited as an example of a destination where regulated tourist access and destination-specific revenue collection could support conservation efforts and the development and maintenance of tourism infrastructure.
Under the proposed system, revenue collected from individual tourist destinations would be ring-fenced. This means funds generated from a particular destination would be reinvested in that location for development, maintenance and conservation purposes.
Raj Yadav pointed to discrepancies in tourism revenue collection figures from 2025 and said revenue leakages had caused significant financial losses. He said the proposed online and AI-integrated system would help address such gaps by providing real-time monitoring and reducing the shortcomings associated with manual permit issuance at checkpoints.
The government is also proposing specific eligibility requirements for RAP and PAP tourism operations. Only Sikkimese drivers and Sikkim-registered tour operators would be permitted to operate tours under the regulated permit system. Vehicles registered outside Sikkim would not be allowed to operate on designated RAP and PAP routes.
The proposed geo-fencing mechanism would begin at Rangpo, the main entry point into Sikkim from neighbouring West Bengal. This is expected to help authorities track eligible operators and regulate movement from the state’s entry point.
Officials initially proposed a one-hour validity period for permits. However, following concerns raised by stakeholders, the government agreed to extend the proposed validity period to two hours.
The consultation also clarified that police and Army personnel would not have direct authority to issue permits. Special cases would instead be handled by the Home Department.
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With the introduction of the digital system, the government aims to make tourism permit issuance more transparent, efficient and technology-driven while strengthening regulation in environmentally and strategically sensitive areas.
Officials also assured stakeholders that adequate safeguards would be incorporated to protect personal data and prevent information leaks as the online permit system is developed and implemented.
