In a landmark moment, the Super Car Rally under the Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative, titled "Sikkim - The Silk Route Drive," reached the strategically significant Cho La Pass at an altitude of 14,672 feet along the Indo-China border on Sunday evening.
The rally marked the first major tourism activity at the recently opened pass.
A total of 15 supercars, with over 40 drivers, reached Cho La Pass, which holds historical significance due to the 1967 Indo-China skirmish, during which India gained a territorial advantage on October 1, 1967.
The rally brought some of the world's most iconic high-performance machines to the region, ranging from Lamborghinis to Porsches.
On January 15, the Ministry of Defence had announced the opening of Cho La Pass and Dokala (Doklam), alongside Nathula Pass, under the Ranbhoomi Darshan initiative. While Nathula has long been open to tourists, Cho La and Dokala were newly accessible forward border destinations.
Initial plans to inaugurate Cho La Pass in October were delayed due to logistical challenges. Rumours of China withholding consent for opening these border areas were dispelled following the successful rally. Chief Minister Prem Singh Golay is set to flag off 30 additional tourist vehicles from Gangtok today.
Despite Cho La opening, Dokala was not included in the two-day rally. The convoy reached Nathula on December 13, as far as the Gnathang Valley. A planned drive along the 32 hairpin bends of Dzuluk was cancelled after two supercars developed technical issues.
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