Chidambaram to lay foundation stone of first integrated check post along Indo-Pak border

Union home minister P Chidambaram will tomorrow lay foundation stone of country's first integrated check post, which will provide support facilities for smooth cross-border movement of people, goods and transport, at Attari along the Indo-Pak border.
   
Spread over 130 acres of land, the Attari Integrated Check Post near Amritsar, will be build up at a cost of Rs150 crore. The work at the state-of-the-art checkpost is expected to be completed by April 2011.

It will have modular design, dedicated lanes for each process, separate gates for traffic across the border, self-evident routes, guide signages and administrative and facility area.

The checkpost will also have a passenger terminal building, currency exchange, internet facility, cargo process building, cargo inspection sheds, warehouse or cold storage, quarantine laboratory, clearing agents, banks, scanners, CCTV and PA System, isolation bay, parking, cafeteria and other public utilities.

The setting up of ICPs along India's international border is a major initiative, which the Government of India has undertaken as part of a scheme with an initial outlay of Rs635 crore during the 11th Five Year Plan, an official release said.

The Department of Border Management has finalised the Detailed Project Reports for 13 ICPs to be set up on the borders between India and Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Myanmar.