Chidambaram unveils foundation stone for Petrapole checkpost in West Bengal

Kolkata, Aug 27(ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram today unveiled the foundation stone for the construction of an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Petrapole in West Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bangladesh Home Minister Shahara Khatun were also present at the occasion.

The setting up of ICPs along India's international border is a major initiative, which the Government of India has taken as part of a Plan scheme with an initial outlay of Rs. 635 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan.

The estimated cost of Petrapole ICP Project is Rs. 172 crore. Rs. 93.61 crore has been approved for the civil construction of this ICP. The schedule for the completion of the project is around 17 months. The project is likely to be completed by January 2013.

The Department of Border Management has finalized the Detailed Project Reports for all the 13 ICPs to be initially set up on India's borders with Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar.

The construction work of ICPs at Attari on the Indo-Pakistan border, Raxaul and Jogbani on the Indo-Nepal border and Agartala on the Indo-Bangladesh border has already started.

The ICPs are envisaged to overcome the infrastructural bottlenecks at various entry and exit points on the land borders of the country.

They are expected to provide facilities for effective and efficient discharge of sovereign functions such as security, immigration, customs, quarantine, etc. while also providing support facilities for smooth cross-border movement of persons, goods and transport.

Land Ports Authority of India Act 2010 has been notified in the Official Gazette on September 1, 2010. The Land Ports Authority of India(LPAI) will be functional very shortly. This body will be vested with powers on the lines of similar bodies like the Airports Authority of India. LPAI has been envisaged as a statutory body for the planning, construction, maintenance and management of these ICPs.

Till the LPAI comes into existence, an Empowered Steering Committee has been constituted under the Secretary (Border Management) to undertake the functions that will be ultimately discharged by the LPAI, an official release said. (ANI)