New Delhi, March 13: Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni informed the Lok Sabha today that a comprehensive review of the Protected Area Permit /Restricted Area Permit (PAP/ RAP) regime to relax the restrictions imposed to visit some locations in the concerned State and Union Territories, from the tourism perspective had been undertaken by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

In a written reply, the Minister said that specific proposals in this regard had been received from the concerned State Governments and Union Territories.

These proposals were examined from the tourism and security perspectives with the concerned State Governments/Union Territories and an appropriate decision expedited in the matter by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

She said that the Protected Areas were those areas falling between the 'Inner Line' and the International border of the State.

Areas under Protected areas were the whole of Arunachal Pradesh, parts of Himachal Pradesh, parts of Jammu & Kashmir, whole of Manipur, whole of Mizoram, whole of Nagaland, parts of Rajasthan, whole of Sikkim (partly Restricted & partly in Protected area) and parts of Uttarakhand.

She further stated that under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963; the entire Andaman & Nicobar Island and a part of Sikkim had been declared as 'Restricted Areas'.

No foreigner can enter or stay in the restricted areas without obtaining a permit from the competent authorities, unless it is established to the satisfaction of the Government that there are exceptional reasons to justify such a visit, the Minister added.

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