Syllabus: GS1/ Geography
| Context Source: AIR The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) recently released a report on ‘Engendering Land Ports in India’ in New Delhi. The main objective of the report is to develop a framework for gender inclusive cross border trade and tourism through land Ports in the country. The report is a step towards making a gender positive environment in the land Ports of the country. |
About Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI)
- Established in: 2012 as a statutory body under the LPAI Act, 2010.
- Parent body: Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs,
- Mandate: 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 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.
Total Land Ports in India
- They are also known as Integrated Check Posts (ICPs).
- There are 11 operational land ports in India- Attari, Agartala, Dawki, Petrapole, Raxaul, Rupaidiha, Jogbani, Moreh, Sutarkandi, Srimantapur and Passenger Terminal Building (PTB) at Dera Baba Nanak.
- Of the total 11 land ports, major trade was registered through Attari, Agartala, Petrapole, Raxaul, Jogbani, Sutarkandi and Srimantapur in 2023.
- Land ports accounted for trade worth Rs 76,000 crore and facilitated the movement of approximately 24 lakh passengers in 2023, a report accessed by ANI states.
Need of Land Ports in India
- Owing to its central geographical location, India shares over a 15,000 kms long international land border with seven countries in South Asia, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
- There are several designated entry and exit points for cross-border movement of persons, goods and vehicles.
- For several years, inadequate infrastructure at designated border checkpoints has often been one of the major hindrances to regional trade, impeding the movement of both goods and passengers.
- Hence, the Committee of Secretaries in 2003 recommended setting up of Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) that would provide complete state of the art infrastructure facilities.