Union Home Minister Amit Shah Inaugurates New Passenger Terminal Building and Maitri Dwar in Petrapole

West Bengal: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah today inaugurated a state-of-the-art Passenger Terminal Building and Maitri Dwar in Petrapole, built at a cost of Rs. 487 crore by the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI).

Shah highlighted the LPAI’s significant contribution to India’s development, improving relations with neighbors, and facilitating cultural exchange. He emphasized the government’s focus on 4 Ps – Prosperity, Peace, Partnership, and Progress – under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

The new terminal building, spanning 60,000 square meters, can handle 25,000 passengers daily, boosting medical and educational tourism. The Maitri Dwar, built at Rs. 6 crore, will facilitate smooth transport of over 600-700 trucks per day.

Shah stressed the importance of securing India’s borders and promoting legal trade. He noted that Petrapole, the largest land port in South Asia, handles 70% of India-Bangladesh trade, which has grown 64% since 2016-17.

The LPAI aims to develop 23 more land ports and implement comprehensive digitization for enhanced security.

Shah also highlighted the Modi government’s commitment to West Bengal’s development, citing significant funding increases in various schemes.

Amit Shah emphasized the Land Port Authority of India’s (LPAI) role in fostering friendship and development in eastern India through border security, trade, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. The Modi government has secured borders while linking them to development. LPAI streamlines immigration, customs, and security processes.

In 2023-24, trade worth ₹71,000 crore passed through these ports. A comprehensive digitization plan is also underway to enhance security.