The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), one of the largest trade bodies in the country, has taken up the task of developing Siliguri as a logistic hub for the entire Northeast as well as the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The CII on Friday hosted “Logi Connect 2022”, a business conclave, to find out as to how the city and its surroundings could be developed for logistic hub for transportation of goods to different regions which it connects.

Located in the chicken’s neck area — the slimmest part of the Indian sub-continent, the Siliguri corridor is known for its strategic location in terms of security and for trade. This is because it is the sole city connecting the Northeast with the rest of the country and has a number of international borders nearby.

Debashish Dutta, the chairman of CII’s eastern region’s sub-committee on logistics, warehousing and MMT, said the trade body’s objective was to find out an appropriate way to develop a logistic hub in Siliguri and its adjacent areas.

“The chief minister is keen to see industrial investments in north Bengal and hubs coming up in different districts. To draw investments, we need to develop Siliguri as a logistic hub as it would facilitate movement of goods to other states and neighbouring countries. That is why this conclave has been planned,” said Dutta.

In the course of the conclave, discussions would also be held over the infrastructure on the international borders.

Even now, the infrastructure on the Indian side of the border routes like Panitanki (that connects Nepal), Changrabandha (that connects Bangladesh) and Jaigaon (that connects Phuentsholing and Pasakha in Bhutan) are inadequate.

“There are proper facilities and infrastructure only in Fulbari (which connects Bangladesh). All these routes are also transit routes for people and hence, it is necessary to have proper buildings for Customs and immigration. Also, there is a need to develop adequate parking spaces at the borders as trucks often stand in queues,” said an exporter based in Siliguri.

Eshor Raj Poudel, the consulate general of Nepal in Calcutta who was present at the event, underscored the need to develop infrastructure for logistics in and around Siliguri.

“We use Siliguri to trade with Bangladesh. It is an important area. Our country has been working for hassle-free and seamless trans-shipment of goods and we look forward to see that this region emerges as such a hub,” he said.

Later in the day, the delegates joined a panel discussion to discuss the “emerging role of Siliguri as the gateway post” and the logistic infrastructure of north Bengal.

They also visited the Inland Container Depot near New Jalpaiguri station and Panitanki.