Centre Amends Rajasthan Protected Areas List For Foreign Nationals' Travel

The Centre has amended the Immigration and Foreigners Order, 2025, updating the list of protected areas in Rajasthan where foreign nationals may require special authorisation to travel or stay.

The gazette notification, issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on June 18, updated the schedule of protected areas across border districts of Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Sriganganagar, Barmer, Phalodi, and Jalore.

The amendment also incorporates Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders into the regulatory framework by defining the category.

The revised schedule includes numerous tehsils in the districts located close to the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan.

The order exempts city limits of key towns, such as Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Barmer and Sanchore, as well as major tourist destinations in the Jaisalmer region, such as Sam, Kuldhara, Lodrava, and Bada Bagh.

"The protected areas specified in the above table shall not apply to the following areas, namely: The peripheral areas of cities, towns and villages on the National Highway Nos. 62, 11 and 68 through which it passes; the city limits of Sriganganagar, Suratgarh, Bikaner, Phalodi, Bap, Pokaran, Jaisalmer, Barmer and Sanchore," the notification said.

The villages and areas of tourist interest, namely Amarsagar, Ludrava, Kuldara, Bada Bagh (Black Bar), Akal, Sam, Unda and Khuhri of Jaisalmer district used for tourism purposes such as desert safaris, camping sites, desert rallies, etc, extending 500 metres on either side of the roads leading to these places and boundaries of such villages have also been exempted. 

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