NEW DELHI : PM Narendra Modi on Thursday virtually inaugurated Uttar Pradesh’s first land port, also called an integrated check post, at Rupaidiha in Bahraich district in the presence of Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda. Soon after the inauguration, a truck from the Nepal side was sent to the Indian Land Port Authority of India, while a truck from the Indian side was sent to Nepal International Transport Land Port of Nepal.

The check post, established with a cost of Rs 200 crore, will further strengthen the business relationship between India and Nepal as the volume of trade is expected to go up significantly with the number of trucks passing through this border daily set to increase from 200 to at least 300.

Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board will operate the port in Nepal while Land Ports Authority of India will manage it on the Indian side, said Sandeep Gupta, Manager of Land Port Authority of India. The port has passenger and cargo terminals, quarantine blocks, warehouse, washrooms, canteen, sewage treatment plant and underground water tank.

A 2.2-km long feeder route will link the port with NH-927 which connects Barabanki to Rupaidiha border The Bhumi Pujan of the land port to be built on Sonauli border of Maharajganj district was also conducted simultaneously. Officers of both the countries were present on the occasion. District magistrate Monika Rani and superintendent of police Prashant Verma of Bahraich district were present at Rupaidiha border.. The Sashastra Seema Bal personnel will guard the land port and CCTV cameras have been installed around it.