International truck terminus: Bengal earns revenue worth Rs 203.6 crore
Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s initiative of taking full government control of the truck terminuses in the international borders through the state Transport department has proved to be a game changer with the state earning revenue of over Rs 203.6 crore through the collection of parking fees.
Among the six international check posts (ICP) at these truck terminuses, namely Petrapole, Ghojadanga in North 24-Parganas, Mahadipur in Malda, Hili in South Dinajpur, Changrabandha in Cooch Behar and Fulbari in Jalpaiguri, the highest revenue in the state exchequer has come from Petrapole from where the earning has been Rs 60 crore followed by Ghojadanga from where the revenue generated has been Rs 52.7 crore. The Petrapole ICP started functioning on June 29, 2022, while the one at Ghojadanga started on July 30. The four other ICPs in North Bengal became operational on September 26.
Mahadipur has contributed Rs 37.8 crore, Hili Rs 21.2 crore, Changrabandha Rs 24 crore and Fulbari Rs 7.6 crore.
On February 8, 2022, the state Transport department notified that no parking area can be used on a commercial basis on any land within 15 km from the zero point of the international borders across the state without prior permission of the department or specifically ordered by the District Magistrate for a temporary period, after taking necessary concurrence of the Transport department. Other government departments/ agencies/ local bodies will restrain themselves from letting out parking space without prior approval of the Transport department.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while chairing an administrative review meeting in the last week of January 2022 had expressed her concern over some people collecting money from the truck terminals functioning along the border.
Banerjee had made it clear that she wanted the revenue to go to the government exchequer and not be distributed among some individuals.
She directed the Transport department to take control of the terminals by February 7.
There are five slabs of fees based on the weight of the goods of a particular vehicle that is collected at the terminals. The concerned Superintendents of Police have taken necessary security arrangements at these terminals.
“We have plans to rejuvenate these truck terminuses further by developing state-of-the-art facilities in these terminals that include good facilities for food and lodging, shops pertaining to basic essentials, including medicines, spick and span toilet facilities etcetera,” a senior official of the Transport department said.
