• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Sarikah Atreya

Infrastructure development for border trade

INFRASTRUCTURE BOOST: The Nathula border post in East Sikkim. — Sarika Atreya

Gangtok May 25 The Centre has approved Rs 13.42 crore as first instalment for infrastructure development for border trade at Nathula in East Sikkim.

The sum has been sanctioned for the construction of a consolidated checkpost unit at Nathula.

Proposal

This is in response to a proposal placed earlier by the Commerce and Industries Department of Sikkim before the Centre for upgradation of the existing checkpost.

The Department had placed a proposal with a cost estimate of Rs 24.42 crore for the project.

The Director of the Department, Mr S.P. Subba, said that the first phase of the extension work will begin once the tender process is over; the process will be carried out by the Sikkim Housing and Building Department, which will also oversee the entire construction process.

There is already an existing single-storeyed structure at Nathula, which is currently being used as a checkpost for traders from both sides of the border.

Customs office

It temporarily houses the Customs and Immigration Office and the checkpost of the Sikkim Police.

The new building will be a three-storeyed structure.

The ground-floor will have a medical examination room, a quarantine room, a waiting hall, Customs and immigration offices, toilet facilities and VIP restrooms.

A lodge with 16 double-bed rooms and cafeteria exclusively for the use of traders and officials will also be part of the new complex.

New complex

An additional parking lot that will accommodate at least 30 large container trucks from either side of the border will also be constructed.

Besides, a cybercafé is to come up at the checkpost.

Mr Subba said that the new complex will be a permanent feature and will be developed in phases.

In another development, the World Trade Centre at Mumbai has reportedly shown interest in the border trade and has placed a proposal before the Sikkim Government to set up a trade centre in the State.

Trade centre

The proposal is under consideration of the State Government.

Sources indicated that the Centre may soon sanction funds for the expansion of the trade mart at Sherathang, six km ahead of Nathula.

More Stories on : Foreign Trade | Infrastructure | West Bengal

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
What is ICT's contribution to economic growth?

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line