The Cabinet Committee on Security on Thursday approved in principle the home ministry proposal to set up Land Ports Authority of India for overseeing the construction, management and maintenance of integrated check posts at identified entry points on the land borders of the country.The authority will be developed on public-private partnership principle but will be solely responsible for regulatory functions. The construction of ICPs would imply development of terminal and ancillary buildings, parking areas, customs and immigration points, warehouses and cargo complexes, hotels, rest houses, restaurants and other related facilities.
A Union home ministry spokesman said 13 Integrated check posts had been identified; Petrapole, Hilly and Chandrabangha in West Bengal, Moreh in Manipur, Sutarkhandi in Assam, Dawki in Meghalaya, Akhaura in Tripura, Kawarpuchiah in Mizoram, Raxaul and Jogbani in Bihar, Wagah in Punjab and Sunauli and Rupaidiha/Nepalganj Road in Uttar Pradesh. The total cost of construction of the 13 ICPs is estimated at Rs 734 crore. Four of these ICPs will be taken up in the first phase at a cost of Rs 342 crore.Detailed project reports of nine ICPs are ready. A home ministry spokesman said the development of ICPs with modern infrastructure would facilitate trade and traffic on land borders with neighbouring countries and also the states and adjoining areas where these are allocated.