New Delhi: The Centre has deferred operationalisation of three new integrated check posts along the Indo-Bangladesh border following turmoil in neighbouring Bangladesh.
The land custom stations at Golakganj and Mankachar in Assam were to be upgraded to integrated check posts while Sabroom land port, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March, was to start from August 14, on the eve of India‘s Independence Day, said officials.
“Some land custom stations were selected for being developed as integrated check posts by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2021,” said officials, adding that both Mankachar and Golakganj are in Dhubri division of Assam. “Sabroom is the third land port after Agartala and Srimantapur in Tripura. It provides the northeastern region direct access to the Chittagong sea port in Bangladesh, which is 75 km away compared to the Kolkata/Haldia Port that is 1,700 km away,” they said.
The Sabroom land port has been built at ₹230 crore and directly connected to Chittagong port of Bangladesh through the Maitree Setu over Feni river. The new land port was to connect to the Matarbari deep seaport in Chittagong that is under construction with Japanese aid, according to those familiar with the details.
The trade has already been suspended on Petrapole-Benapole check posts while its volume has reduced sharply at four other check posts at Dawki in Meghalaya, Sutarkandi in Assam, Agartala and Srimantapura in Tripura, said officials.
Meanwhile, BSF director general Daljit Singh Chaudhary on Wednesday reviewed operational preparedness along the Tripura-Bangladesh border. Officials said Chaudhary’s scheduled visit to some border areas to take stock of the ground situation was cancelled. However, ADG (BSF) will go to two border locations – Srimantapur and Nehalchandrangar – in Sepahijala district.
