Arunchal Pradesh – Tawang Darshan – Inner Line Permit and Bumla Pass Process

In this post, we will pen down the procedure for the Inner Line Permit and pass for Bumla and Shantersar Lake.
Inner Line Permit for Arunachal Pradesh
Inner line permit is required to enter Arunachal Pradesh. You have to show the document at various check posts, on the way to Tawang. This inner line permit can be availed at Arunachal DC Office, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, Tezpur, and other district headquarters.
In Delhi the process to avail ILP is quite smooth. It takes hardly 30 minutes to get the permit. You must walk in to the Arunachal Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, Delhi. You can either give the pre-filled form or avail the form from counter and fill it and give it back to the person. You will get the form stamped and signed by the governing authority. It took 15 minutes for us. Similar process follows in Kolkata too.
It is not the same in Guwahati and other headquarters in Assam. As lot of people go to Arunachal to search the job, so you have to wait in a long queue to avail the permit.
Actual turnaround time is approximately 8 hours for the process. If you submit the form in the morning session, you would get the permit in the evening session and if you submit the form in the evening session, you would get the permit in the morning session. If you want to avail the permit from district headquarter, it is best to plan a day at the same place.
But as per the drivers, it is possible to avail Inner Line Permit at Bhalukpong without wasting a day in Tezpur. You will have to pay INR 100 per person instead 10, but you will get your permit within 2 hours. That will surely save one day. Though we did not try it, but it seems to be a common practice.
Tourist can avail the pass for 15 days, but the pass can be renewed, within Arunachal, for subsequent 15 days if you plan to extend your stay.
PS: Please make sure that date, mentioned, is at least either same or before the actual date of travel. So if you are planning to enter Arunachal on 3^rd June, so it is best to mention 1^st June as starting date. You can enter and exit with the same pass multiple times.
To know more check here
This is the form that must be filled. http://arunachalipr.gov.in/forms/Form%20Provisional%20ILP.pdf
Documents Required:

1. 2 Passport Size Photographs
2. Address Proof with your photo (PAN card is no more accepted for this purpose)
3. Charges INR 100 per person, Indian National, in Delhi whereas in Assam it is INR 10 per person. Foreign nationals must refer to the site mentioned above.

Though there is online site to apply for the passes but site is not working properly. If it starts working, it will be a big relief for people who are travelling to Arunachal.
Pass to travel to Bumla and Shangetsar Lake
For the safety reasons, Army has made it mandatory to avail a pass before travelling to Bumla and Shangester. This helps them to keep track of civilians who are travelling to these dangerously beautiful place. In case of calamity Army can help people.
It takes 2-3 hours avail the pass.
Documents required for the pass:

1. 2 Copies of ILP of all the members who are travelling.
2. 2 Copies of Identity Card, It must include permanent address, of all members
3. 2 copies of driver’s Licence. If you are driving at your own, then your driving licence.
4. Passport size photographs
5. Vehicle Number (No document for this ;-))

PS: It is better to carry the photocopies of these document, otherwise you have to pay exorbitant prices for XEROX. We paid INR 5/- per XEROX. It was really high. Though the rates for locals was quite nominal.
Process to avail the passes (This process applies to Indian citizens only)

1. Walk into DC office to avail the form.
2. Fill the form and attach the documents mentioned above. Submit the form at DC office along with the fees i.e. INR 10 per person.
3. Within 30-40 minutes you will get two copies of the passes. Out of these two, one will be kept at Brigadier’s office.
4. Please make sure to validate your names, otherwise you will need to resubmit the request. We faced the same situation where the leading name was incorrect and it caused us lot of time in reprocessing the request.
5. Submit the pass at brigadier’s office, Tawang War Memorial.
6. If you submit the form before 6PM, you can avail the pass in the evening/night by 8PM, else you will get it next morning. Though it is advisable to collect the passes in morning while starting your travel to Bum la.

Word of Caution: If army advises that you must not travel to Bum La, due to weather conditions, please take the advice. It will be riskier for you to neglect the advice.
The process to avail the passes are quite simple and these are followed for our own safety. Hope this information helps to be prepared in your journey.
To Reach us, please fill the below mentioned form.
[contact-form to=’team@lazyatra.com’ subject=’Tawang Information’][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Contact Number’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’/][/contact-form]