Land ports, also known as Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), accounted for trade worth Rs 76,000 crore and facilitated the movement of approximately 24 lakh passengers in 2023, a report accessed by states.
The trade amount registered in 2023 showcases the excellent performance of the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI), which is responsible for the management of trade and travel through the land ports of the country.
The trade as well as the movement of such a huge number of passengers were facilitated mainly through six-seven of the 11 land ports currently operational in India. The 11 operational land ports are Attari, Agartala, Dawki, Petrapole, Raxaul, Rupaidiha, Jogbani, Moreh, Sutarkandi, Srimantapur and PTB at Dera Baba Nanak.
Of the total 11 land ports, an official in the LPAI told ANI, major trade was registered through Attari, Agartala, Petrapole, Raxaul, Jogbani, Sutarkandi and Srimantapur in 2023.
“Among these seven land ports, maximum trade is observed through Raxaul and Petrapole, as the two only register over Rs 60,000 crore trade jointly.”
A total of Rs 76,319.2 crore trade was registered in 2022-2023, with a movement of 24,79,180 passengers in the same period, the report mentions.
In 2022-2023, a total of Rs 33,882.2 crore and Rs 30,378 crore trade was reported from Raxaul and Petrapole land ports, respectively, followed by Rs 8,747 crore from Jogbani, Rs 2,257.2 crore from Attari, Rs 471.8 crore from Agartala, Rs 410.6 crore from Sutarkandi, and Rs 172.2 crore from Srimantapur.
In terms of passenger movement, a major movement is noted from Attari, Agartala, Petrapole, Sutarkandi, Srimantapur and Dera Baba Nanak in 2023, said the official.
“Of these six land ports, the maximum passenger movement was registered through Petrapole and Agartala in 2023.”
In 2022-23, a maximum of 19,37,414 and 3,16,448 passenger movements were noted from Petrapole and Agartala land ports, respectively. During the same period, Dera Baba Nanak attended third maximum passenger movements of 91,383 followed by 67,747 in Attari, 51,089 in Srimantapur and 15,099 in Sutarkandi.
Established in 2012 as a statutory body under the Department of Border Management and the Ministry of Home Affairs, LPAI is responsible for developing state-of-the-art infrastructure across its land ports.
The facilities include a Cargo Terminal Building, Passenger Terminal Building, Mechanised equipment for cargo handling, security and surveillance across land ports through CCTV cameras, housing and accommodation facilities for border guarding forces, and facilities such as canteens, restrooms and forex counters.
With just two land ports under its aegis in 2012, India now has 11 operational land ports across its land borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.