Duars Run, a marathon organised by Alipuduar district police, has gone international this year.

Sources said four runners from Kenya, six from Bhutan and 12 from Nepal, along with those from across the country, including metros like Bengaluru, Delhi and Calcutta, have registered forthe marathon.

The run will be held on Sunday in 21k and 10k categories for both men and women.

“A total of 1,050 runners will take part in the marathon,” a source said.

The three podium finishers in the 21km run will take home prizes of ₹75,000, ₹50,000 and ₹25,000, respectively.

In the 10km category, the prizes will be ₹50,000, ₹20,000, and ₹10,000 for the winner, first runner-up, and second runner-up, respectively.

The marathon, which will crisscross tea gardens, forests, and rural and urban landscapes, will start from and end at the Parade Groundin Alipurduar.

Y. Raghuvamshi, the superintendent of police, Alipuduar, said the event was aimed at creating a drug addiction-free society and promoting the tourism potential of the place.

“Runners from outside can stay here for a longer duration. The participation in the marathon by international runners will scale up the event,”said Raghuvamshi.

The organisers have decided to make the run zero waste.

“Only biodegradable materials will be used during the event. The runners will be served water not in plastic cups but in steel glasses,” said Chinmoy Dhar, the manager of Majherdabri tea estate, one of the sponsors ofthe marathon.

The garden is run by the Dabri Tea group.

This year, a chip to record the runners’ time will also be embedded in the bib of the participants, saidthe organisers.