The first of its kind multi-facility Integrated Check Post (ICP) along Indo-Bangla border was today inaugurated by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde at Akhaura, near here, in the presence of his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.
The ICP, built at a cost of Rs 74 crore, has a modern terminal building, well equipped customs and immigration centres, high security equipment, weigh bridges, currency exchange, internet facility and banks, Shinde said.
"I am confident that the ICP will be a milestone in improvement of people to people contact and cross border trade with Bangladesh and would be mutually beneficial for the two countries," he said.
Five such ICPs would be built along the border in Petrapole and Hilli in West Bengal, Dawki in Meghalaya, Sutarkandi in Assam and Kwarpuichhuah in Mizoram, he said.
Foundation of the ICP was laid by the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in May 2011.
Alamgir said, "It is a historic event and will give a new dimension in export and import, cross border movement of people between the two countries.
"As a student of economics, it is my dream that the two countries come closer economically and this ICP would play an important role in serving this interest," he said.
The country shares a 4,096 km border, including 856 km in Tripura, with Bangladesh.
The Akhaurah land customs station spreads over 11 acres with around 4,500 people crossing the border both ways every month.
