Integrated Check Post at Wagah likely to commence from April

Wagah, Feb 29 (ANI): Joint secretary (border Management) Ministry of Home Affairs A. E. Ahmed here on Wednesday disclosed that the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Wagah border would be made functional before mid-April this year.

Integrated Check Posts (ICP) are being jointly set up by India and Pakistan at Wagah - Attari border in Punjab to facilitate trade between the two countries.

Ahmed who was leading a high level delegation to inspect the ICP said: " I have gone through the entire facilities, and we have looked at it and now will sit down and try to work out a date and hopefully within next four to six weeks."

Due to lack of infrastructure at the International Border, trade was not getting sufficient boost till now.

Experts opine that once the ICP is fully operational trade across the border could witness 100 percent growth.

Exporters have hailed the opening of the ICP at Wagah and have suggested that it should be connected to a dedicated freight corridor after it is extended to Amritsar.ndian government has spent nearly Rs 1.5 billion to set up the ICP at Wagah border.

The ICP project, which is part of the government of India's initiative for better border management to put in place systems, is expected to address both security concerns, as well as facilitate cross-border trade and commerce.

The ICP is envisaged to discharge sovereign functions of security checking, immigration, customs and quarantine apart from providing facilities for smooth cross-border movement of persons, goods and transport.

Ahmed further said that passenger's facilitation and passenger comfort is the main priority and they would try to provide maximum comfort to the passengers and as well as facilitate to enhance trade between the two countries. By Ravinder Singh Robin (ANI)