By Sujit Chakraborty,IANS,
Agartala : India is developing 13 international-standard integrated check posts (ICPs) along its borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal for boosting trade and economy with its neighbours, besides facilitating trans-border passenger traffic, an official report says.
“In the first phase, seven ICPs would be set up at Raxaul and Jogbani (in Bihar) along the border with Nepal, Attari (in Punjab) along the border with Pakistan, Moreh (in Manipur) along the border with Myanmar and Akhaurah (in Tripura), Dawki (in Meghalaya) and Petrapole (in West Bengal) – all along the border with Bangladesh,” the union home ministry report said.
“Work for construction of ICPs at Attari, Raxaul and Jogbani has begun and would be completd by August this year and work for the remaining ICPs would be taken up soon,” the report stated.
The ICPs are being commissioned “to secure India’s borders against interests hostile to the country and to put in place systems that would interdict such elements while facilitating legitimate trade and commerce and as a part of an overall strategy for more improved border management,” the report said.
The ICPs, being built at expenditure ranging from Rs.35 crore to Rs.170 crores – with a total outlay of Rs.635 crore – would be sanitised zones with dedicated passenger and cargo terminals and space for regulatory agencies besides the necessary modern facilities under one roof.
Besides passenger terminal buildings, adequate customs and immigration facilities, weigh bridges, security and scanning equipment, currency exchange booths, internet facility, cargo process building, cargo inspection sheds, warehouse and cold storage, health and quarantine facilities, clearing agents, banks, scanners, close circuit television, public address systems,isolation bay,parking,cafeteria, hotels and other public utilities would be available at the ICPs.
The foundation stone for the Akhaurah ICP, two km west of Tripura capital Agartala, will be laid May 17.
“Union home minister P. Chidambaram would lay the foundation stone,” Tripura Industries and Commerce Minister Jitendra Chowdhury told IANS.
“The Akhaurah ICP will cost Rs.60 crore,” he added of the first such facility in the northeastern region and falling within the area of the Agartala Municipal Council.
The Akhaurah check post is one of the most important international trading land ports in eastern India, along with the Petrapole check post, with an average of 200 Bangladeshi trucks loaded with goods for export coming to Tripura every day.
“The setting up of 13 ICPs along India’s international border is a major initiative which the centre has undertaken as part of a scheme envisaged during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) at a cost of Rs 635 crores.”
A Land Ports Authority of India is also being established under the department of border management of the union home ministry to supervise the construction work, maintenance and control of the ICPs.
India shares a 4,097 km border with Bangladesh, 3,323 km with Pakistan, 1,751 km with Nepal and 1,643 km with Myanmar.