*New Delhi:* Mountaineers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Chinawill have to take prior permission for climbing “open peaks” in India andwill have to follow specific routes as prescribed by the IndianMountaineering Foundation, according to a Home Ministry order.

Amending the over-70-year-old Foreigners Order, the Ministry of HomeAffairs (MHA) issued a gazette notification on Friday saying that nationalsor persons having their origin to the four countries will have to takepermission for even climbing peaks which are “open”.

The ministry said that Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) shall specifyroutes, attach liaison officer and impose such restrictions “as it may deemnecessary in respect of peaks which are so opened under specific ordersissued by the Central Government”.

India had earlier opened 137 peaks across the country which includedKanchenjunga, Nepal Peak in Sikkim, Garur Parbat and Purbi Dunagiri inUttarakhand, Mount Kailash in Jammu and Kashmir, and Mulkila in HimachalPradesh.

India has around 200 peaks.

It said no foreigner or group of foreigners shall climb or attempt to climbany mountain peak in India, except those peaks which are opened formountaineering or trekking expeditions, without obtaining the priorpermission in writing of the central government. – PTI