Siliguri, April 13 -- In a move aimed at reviving the long-delayed project for the establishment of an Integrated Land Customs Port at Panitanki, near the India-Nepal border, Jayanta Singh, Chairman of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), paid a visit to the designated site.
The project, initially proposed in 2017, has faced several hurdles, primarily due to alleged land encroachment. According to official sources, the state government had allocated 8 acres of land for the development of the port in the Panitanki area. However, a large portion of the land is currently said to be under illegal occupation by locals, stalling the commencement of the project for years. Singh refrained from making any statement during his visit, but sources indicated that following the site inspection, he convened a closed-door meeting with officials from the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Land and Customs departments at the SSB camp. Officials from the Land and Land Revenue department of Kharibari also accompanied him during the inspection on Friday evening.
"This port is a long-standing demand. There are certain problems, which are being discussed. Once the land port is established, it will house all facilities like parking space, cold storage, scanners, an SSB camp, rest rooms for drivers and more - all within a single integrated complex. It will significantly boost trade between India and Nepal," said Amit Saha, Superintendent of Panitanki Land Customs.
The timing of the Chairman's visit is particularly noteworthy, coming just days after India officially revoked the transshipment facility previously granted to Bangladesh. Effective from April 8, 2025, the decision bars Bangladesh from using Indian ports - land, air or sea - to export goods to third countries, like Nepal and Bhutan. While the transshipment issue has not directly impacted the Panitanki region yet, the strategic significance of strengthening land connectivity and trade infrastructure with Nepal has now taken on added importance.
As deliberations continue and authorities assess the feasibility of reclaiming the encroached land, stakeholders remain hopeful that this renewed push will finally pave the way for the much-needed port facility at the Indo-Nepal border.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.