The Centre has planned to develop the Ghojadanga land port at Basirhat in North 24-Parganas as a full-fledged modern land port with multiple facilities for passengers as well as traders very soon.

A team of central government officials led by Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) chairman Aditya Mishra and senior customs and BSF officers visited Ghojadanga on Wednesday to examine the scope of the project. The Indian officials were accompanied by their Bangladeshi counterparts.

"We have a proposal for developing the land port at Ghojadanga. The state government has approved the proposal. Once the land is made available by the Bengal government, we will start the work to develop the land port with all modern facilities like those available at the Petrapole land port," Mishra said.

"At present, the facilities at Ghojadanaga are limited. Vehicles are parked in a scattered way and there are no sitting arrangements for passengers. We aim to equip the place with modern facilities under a single roof. We inspected the site to explore the scope of work and to implement the proposal as early as possible," the LPAI chairman added.

The LPAI works under the Union home ministry to build land ports on the international border of the country and provide a secure, seamless and efficient system for cargo and passenger movement.

At present, Ghojadanga is one of the most active land ports on India's frontier with Bangladesh. On the other side of the border, Bhomra land port is located in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh.

The major commodities exported through Ghojadanga are cotton, onion, garlic, pepper, grape, fruits, spices, dates and tomato. The major commodities imported via Ghojadanga include jute bags, cloth scrap and broomsticks.

Ghojadanga Exporters-Importers Association secretary Sanjib Mondal said: "Over 200 cargo trucks cross the border through Ghojadanga helping the government earn a huge revenue. However, it paid little attention to the development of infrastructure at the Ghojadanga land port. Unlike Petrapole, there are no proper parking spaces, warehouses, restrooms for cargo drivers and passenger sheds here. It is good that the Centre has realised the need to develop infrastructure in Ghojadanga."

In 2021, the LPAI prepared a detailed project report for developing the Ghojadanga port and identified 87.5 acres for the plan. The Centre requested the Bengal government to make the land available for infrastructure development.

The state government began the land acquisition process last year identifying 150 people who owned plots at Ghojadanga. Although the LPAI chairman said the state government was yet to make the land available for the project, Basirhat South MLA Saptarshi Banerjee claimed that the land acquisition process had been completed and the Centre informed about it.

"The state government has performed its part by acquiring the necessary land. It is now the LPAI's responsibility to begin the work," Banerjee told The Telegraph.

Mohammed Ruhul Amin, deputy director of the Bhomra land port in Bangladesh who held talks with the Indian team during the joint inspection, said: "The initiative would enhance border trade and develop mutual understanding between the two countries. We discussed the development of land ports on either side of the border. We have also started a project for the development of the Bhomra land port and acquired land for it."