BALURGHAT: The Central government has allocated funds for the establishment of an integrated check post (ICP) in Hili, South Dinajpur district. According to district administration sources, Rs 21 crore have been disbursed for acquiring land for the ICP in Hili. The integrated land port infrastructure is slated to occupy 25 acres of land in Hili, marking the initiation of this process in North Bengal. Currently, the only operational ICP in the state is located in Petrapole, North 24-Parganas.
Bijin Krishna, District Magistrate, South Dinajpur, said: “Due to the ongoing model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections, the land acquisition process in Hili will commence after its conclusion. The Central funds will be used then for land acquisition.”
Additionally, the establishment of the Hili ICP is anticipated to facilitate the import and export of various goods between Bangladesh and India, boosting international trade in the region. Dhiraj Adhikari, Joint Secretary of the Hili Export Traders Association, highlighted the long-standing demand for the ICP in Hili and expressed optimism about its potential to stimulate international business activities.
During the monsoon season, Hilsa fish from the Padma River in Bangladesh, traditionally travels approximately 500 km through the Petrapole ICP to reach Siliguri in North Bengal. The extended journey leads to significant price hikes. The construction of the Hili land port is expected to shorten this journey by at least 250 km, benefiting both traders and consumers.
Initially, 100 bighas of land were requested for the Hili land port; however, due to land constraints, the project will proceed with approximately 75 bighas of land. The central land port authority is expected to purchase the land from the district administration. Many landowners have expressed interest in donating land for the project. Presently, Hili hosts a land port with limited passenger facilities and lacks essential amenities such as cold storage and product quality testing labs. Customs officials are compelled to operate outdoors, without adequate infrastructure. The upcoming integrated land port will integrate existing facilities while introducing modern services to streamline trade operations.