Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the newly constructed passenger terminal building and a cargo gate named ‘Maitri Dwar’ at the Land Port in Petrapole, on the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal today. The terminal aims to facilitate international trade and crossings for citizens of both India and Bangladesh.
The Petrapole Land Port, situated in Uttar 24 Parganas district, is the largest land port in South Asia and serves as a vital gateway for trade and commerce between the two countries.
The Petrapole-Benapole crossing is one of the most important land border points, accounting for nearly 70 percent of land-based trade by value between India and Bangladesh. It is also the eighth largest international immigration port in India, facilitating the movement of over 2.35 million passengers annually.
The new passenger terminal will significantly enhance regional infrastructure, with a handling capacity of 20,000 passengers per day and housing immigration, customs, and security services under one roof.
The ‘Maitri Dwar’ cargo gate is a joint facility agreed upon by both countries. Mr. Shah laid the foundation stone for this project on May 9 last year. In response to daily cross-border traffic, which sees approximately 600-700 trucks, the Land Port Authority of India established the new cargo gate along the India-Bangladesh border.
After the Petrapole event, Mr. Shah will attend a program hosted by the Cooperative Department in Arambagh, Hooghly district, in the afternoon. In the evening, he will participate in a party program at the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC) in Salt Lake, Kolkata, before returning to New Delhi that night.
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