Mr. Jayant Singh, chairman of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), shared that the LPAI plans to construct seven to eight new international land ports in Bengal to streamline the movement of cargo and people across the Bangladesh and Nepal borders. He spoke on the sidelines of a CII event in Calcutta. 

Bengal currently has only one operational land port at Petrapole. The new development sites will include Panitanki, Ghojadanga, Hili, and Birpara. Progress on upgrading these locations to modern port infrastructures met land acquisition challenges. However, officials are optimistic that improved political alignment between the state and central governments will help secure the necessary 50-acre border parcels for each site.

Once completed, these centralized hubs will house comprehensive facilities under one roof, including cargo handling spaces, cold storage, customs, and immigration. This regional expansion is part of a larger national initiative to build 74 additional land ports across India. 

The Government of India expects this infrastructure boost to significantly enhance regional trade, with the potential to unlock over ₹4.4 lakh crore in untapped trade potential.

Related links:

Centre plans 7-8 new land ports in Bengal to boost trade with Bangladesh, Nepal  

Bengal likely to get 7-8 new ports bordering Bangladesh, Nepal