India and Bangladesh will today open the newly constructed modern integrated check-post at Petrapole-Benapole point of the India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to inaugurate it this evening through video conference which will also be linked to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee. <br/><br/>The multipurpose checkpost is aimed at further facilitating increased India-Bangladesh trade. Currently the Petrapole-Benapole lands customs station is one of the busiest handling over 60% of the India-Bangladesh bilateral trade of around US$ 6 billion. <br/><br/>The 200 crore project is the second Integrated Checkpost, the first at Agartala-Akhaura point on the eastern part of the India-Bangladesh border was inaugurated in November 2013. 7 land land customs stations along India's international border are being upgraded into integrated checkposts as part of a planned scheme for border security and increased trade.<br/><br/>AIR correspondent's despatch:-<br/>"The Integrated Checkpost is a sanitised area on the border having dedicated passenger and freight processing facilities. Along with a whole lot of infrastructrue like weighbridges, scanning and security equipment, cargo inspection sheds, warehouses, cold storage facilites, currency exchange booths, internet facilities, etc. it facilitates faster movement of goods and passengers. It is expected to give a big boost to trade and people -to people contacts between India and Bangladesh, besides helping in better border management."