70% of Dhaka-Delhi trade through land routes occurs via Petrapole: Amit Shah
Petrapole is the largest and busiest land port in South Asia, the Indian home minister said
About 70% of the total trade between Bangladesh and India through land routes occurs via Petrapole, Indian Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said today (27 October).
He said Petrapole is the largest and busiest land port in South Asia, which enhances their trade and movement.
The Indian minister made remarks while inaugurating a new passenger terminal building and a "Maitri Dwar" in Petrapole, West Bengal built at a cost of ₹487 crore by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI).
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"Maitri Dwar" will allow smooth passage of transport with handling capacity of over 600-700 trucks per day.
The home minister directed officials to ensure the conservation of the local environment by planting 25,000 saplings of such trees having a life of 200 years or more.
He mentioned that facilities such as automatic number plate recognition, boom barriers, facial recognition machines, and access control for entry and exit have been provided for seamless movement, according to the Indian Home Ministry.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated this project in 2016-17 when the trade volume was ₹18,000 crore, and it has increased to ₹30,500 crore in 2023-24, reflecting a 64% growth.
Amit Shah said that the inauguration of integrated checkpost, passenger terminal buildings, and Maitri Dwar in Petrapole are a reflection of Prime Minister Modi's vision of revitalising every sector.
The home minister said today the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) is making a significant contribution to the country's development, along with improving relations with neighbours, and facilitating the exchange of language, culture, and literature.
Shah noted that this new initiative will bring about a significant change in the prosperity of the entire region.
He mentioned that this initiative by the LPAI will also help establish peace here, as the lack of a legal framework for movement has led to illegal crossings, which harm peace of India and West Bengal.
Shah mentioned that the increase in trade will boost transportation businesses, lead to the establishment of warehouses, and create various employment opportunities, including porters for loading and unloading goods. He added that approximately 24 lakh passengers traveled through Petrapole in 2023-24.
He added that there are currently 12 land ports being operated in India, including Petrapole, Agartala, Srimanpur, Sutarkandi, Sabroom with Bangladesh; Raxaul, Jogbani, Rupaidiha with Nepal; and Attari and Moreh with Pakistan and Myanmar, respectively.
