Chidambaram Inaugurates Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari
ICP to Boost
Bilateral Trade
Union Home Minister P.
Chidambaram Union Home Minister inaugurated the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari in Punjab this evening in the presence of Chief
Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal,
Union Commerce Minister, Anand Sharma, Pakistan
Commerce Minister Makdoom Amin Fahim;
Chief Minister of Punjab province of Pakistan Shahbaz
Sharif; Minister of State Ashwani Kumar and Deputy
Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal; Ministers of Punjab, diplomats and other
dignitaries.
Salient features of ICP Attari are as under:
1.
ICP
Attari has been constructed at a cost of about Rs. 150 crores and is spread over
118 acres.
2.
Passenger
terminal building measures 9600 sq mts
3.
There
are all together 16 Immigration counters and 12 Customs counters on Arrival
& Departure side of Passenger terminal building.
4.
X-ray
baggage scanners, DFMD’s/HHMD’s and modern amenities like health services,
child care and prayer room, have been provided for the convenience of
passengers. Ramps and wheelchairs for the physically challenged have been
provided too.
5.
Dedicated
Cargo Terminal building measuring 4700 sq. mts.,
import ware house measuring 7400 sq mts. export ware house measuring 3400 sq. mts. and parking of trucks measuring 55000 sq. mts. have also been provided for efficient cargo
processing.
6.
4
companies of BSF have been deployed for providing 24 X 7 security
to this ICP along with 230 CCTV cameras and control and command centre for monitoring of passenger and freight processing.
7.
ICP
Attari also provides associated facilities like,
plant quarantine, isolation rooms, fumigation centre,
MT room, Weigh Bridge, PA system, boom-barriers & dormitory.
8.
All
the facilities are backed by 1800 KVA substation with 100 % power backup.
9.
The
ICP complex has 99000 sq mts.
area for future expansion.
10. A helipad has also been provided.
Operationalization of ICP Attari will lead to reduction in passenger and freight
processing time paving way for enhanced people to people contact and expansion
of trade between the two countries.
It will provide employment
and business opportunities for the local population and contribute to area
development. It is symbolic of India’s desire for progressive, productive and
mutually beneficial relationship with its neighbouring countries.
ICPs are being constructed
as a Plan scheme with an initial outlay of Rs.635 crore
during the 11th Five Year Plan. In the initial phase, 13 ICPs have
been envisaged at major designated entry/exit points along India’s
international land border. 7 ICPs, out of these 13 ICPs are to be constructed
in Phase I and 6 ICPs in Phase II. ICP Attari is the
first to be completed and 4 ICPs (Raxaul and Jogbani in Bihar, Agartala in
Tripura and Petrapole in West Bengal) are in various
stages of construction.
A statutory body, the Land
Ports Authority of India (LPAI) has been established from 1st March,
2012 as an overarching organization to oversee the construction, management and
maintenance of these ICPs. Photographs of ICP Attari
are available on PIB site i.e. www.pib.nic.in.
[Source: Ministry
of Home Affairs, PIB Press Release dated 13th April 2012]