The Hindu Business Line : Land ports authority likely to be set up on the lines of AAI

Service line
To be set up with overall remit of improving border mgt.
Will have representations from Ministry of External Affairs, Finance.
Services may be provided by private operators.

G. Srinivasan

New Delhi, July 5 In the recent Cabinet approval for formulating the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) Bill, to be introduced in Parliament, the LPAI is proposed to be constituted on the lines of analogous bodies like the Airports Authority of India to function as an autonomous authority but under the Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Official sources told Business Line that the LPAI is slated to be set up with the overall remit of improvement of border management, including integrated development of infrastructure at the border crossing points to facilitate legitimate trade and transit across the borders.

The effort is to converge all functions related to border crossing and border management at integrated check posts (ICPs), namely customs, immigration, quarantine (plant and animal), security and support facilities.

Representations

The proposed authority would have representations from the Ministry of External Affairs, Commerce, Finance and stakeholders such as Department of Road Transport and Highways, Railways, and Defence. It would co-opt the Chief Secretaries of the State governments concerned and other representatives in its functioning.

The sources said the LPAI is conceived as “a lean, oversight statutory body aimed at providing cohesive management of border-crossing facilities at the land ports on our borders”. LPAI would be empowered to notify the entry point on the country’s land riverine borders as land ports; plan, develop, construct and maintain terminal and ancillary buildings, parking areas, warehouses and cargo complexes; and establish other facilities for facilitating trade and traffic.

Private participation

The sources said the LPAI would be the landlord owning infrastructure and exercise regulatory functions, while services might be provided by private operators. Private sector participation would be ensured to the optimal level possible in the construction of infrastructure facilities, operation of facilities like warehousing and parking on a purely commercial basis, and also in the management and maintenance of these facilities.

The powers and functions of the LPAI include notifying any entry/exit point on the land borders as ICPs; to acquire, hold and dispose of both movable and immovable property; enter into contracts for discharge of its functions; and own, develop and manage ICPs/land ports assigned to it. LPAI would also plan, develop, construct and maintain roads, terminals and ancillary buildings at the ICPs.

LPAI would also regulate and control plying of vehicles, entry and exit of passengers, transportation of workers, handling agencies, clearing and forwarding agents and goods at the ICPs, besides monitoring and regulating the functions of various agencies working at the ICPs. The sources said the Central government would draw up rules for carrying out the provisions of the proposed Act and the LPAI might make regulations to facilitate and regulate its functioning, and both of these would be laid before both the houses of Parliament.

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