Integrated Check Posts run into rough weather in West Bengal as land acquisition drags on
India Today
In what could be a fresh bone of contention between centre and the state of West Bengal, work on at least seven Integrated Check Posts is yet to begin, as land acquisition drags on.
Work on at least seven Integrated Check Posts (ICP) has not kickstarted in West Bengal, as the land has not been acquired till date. This could be a fresh bone of contention between the centre and the state government.
The issue was revealed by the home ministry in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. MP Sukanta Majumdar had sought a reply from Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the establishment of ICPs in West Bengal.
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The centre has accorded in principle approval for 10 ICPs including the ones in West Bengal. At least seven ICPs in the state face land acquisition hurdles. These ICPs are Hilli, Changrabandha, Gojadanga, Mahadipur, Phulbari at the Indo-Bangladesh border, Jaigaon at the Indo-Bhutan border and Panitanki at Indo-Nepal border.
MHA has said several requests have been made to the West Bengal government for the early acquisition of land parcels at seven identified locations, including Hilli. MHA categorically stated that land has not been acquired till date.
In the absence of land acquisition by Land ports of India (LPAI), the Detailed Engineering Report (DER) has not been prepared yet. LPAI is an aggregator and facilitator of services essential for bilateral/international trade and passenger movement. It is essential for trade: Cargo terminal buildings, immigration clearness counters for drivers and export warehouses.
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