Land acquisition process is at different stages of 4 ICPs along Bangladesh border: MoS Home Nityanand Rai

New Delhi [India], December 9 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that he reviewed the status of Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) proposed along the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal.
The Indian government is working to establish Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) at Ghojadanga, Fulbari, Hili, and Mahadipur in West Bengal, but faces delays due to land acquisition issues. The project, approved in 2018, aims to enhance border infrastructure and facilitate trade.

In November 2023, West Bengal's state government approved land acquisition for the ICPs, and the central government has made the necessary payments. The land acquisition process is underway, and the project is expected to proceed once complete.
In a written reply to the West Bengal MP Jagannath Sarkar, the Minister stated that the state government granted approval for land acquisition only on November 21, 2023, following which the Centre released the required funds within the same financial year. Rai said the Union government is now "continuously pursuing" the handover of land so that work on the four key ICPs can begin.
He noted that the land acquisition process is at various stages across these locations, adding that establishing ICPs is a multi-layered exercise involving pre-feasibility studies, detailed project reports, feasibility assessments, approvals, and tendering, all of which vary by site-specific requirements.
The government is working to expedite the process, recognising the importance of these ICPs for regional development.
Earlier in August, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, informed the Rajya Sabha that 1647.696 km of the 2216.7 km border with Bangaldesh in West Bengal has been fenced. The information was provided to the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to questions from BJP MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar.
MoS Home further informed the Upper House that the Centre was taking steps to expedite land acquisition, including regular meetings and reviews with the State Government on the issue.
The total length of the India-Bangladesh border is 4096.7 km. The border with the neighbouring country lies along West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. (ANI)