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| Across LoC, trucks set to roll down | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Sep 6
If all goes well, the trade between two parts of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to commence anytime by middle of October.
Official reports and activities in New Delhi, Srinagar and LoC outpost of Slamabad in Uri sector suggest that the preparations are almost complete and only a formal nod from Pakistan is awaited.
The Governor NN Vohra today had a meeting with a high level central team –comprising officers from the Ministers of External Affairs, Home and Finance –which earlier in the day visited Slamabad along with top officers of Jammu and Kashmir government.
An official spokesman said that the Governor emphasized on early completion of the remaining works by the end of the month so that the duty-free trade is started anytime next month subject to modalities of trade being finalized bilaterally with Pakistan.
The team comprised Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Raghavan, Joint Secretary, Home (K), Mr. S. Skandan, Commissioner, Customs, Mr. Purti and S Devinder Singh, Commissioner (Customs) J&K.
The Central team had an elaborate inspection of the facilities already created at Salamabad, Uri for conducting the proposed duty-free Cross LoC trade, like custom clearance facilities for the incoming and outgoing goods to be traded across LoC, ware housing of the goods, parking of vehicles and other support services for running a Land Customs Station. It was noted that very substantial progress had been achieved sine the previous visit of the team in the last week of July 2008.
The Chief Secretary issued detailed instructions to the executing agency and the Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla to complete the remaining civil works including the construction of the truck terminal by the end of this month and also to do necessary alterations as per the requirements of the Customs authorities.
The team also inspected the additional land being acquired adjacent to the present site for developing a permanent Land Customs Stations of international standard in the near future. The Central team was also satisfied with the infrastructure created at Salamabad for starting the cross-LoC trade.
The team is also scheduled to visit Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch on 7th of September 2008 where a similar Land Customs Station is to be developed for facilitating the Cross LoC trade through Poonch-Rawalakote route as well in the near future. The Central team assured all the necessary support to the State Government for putting the required infrastructure in place both at Salamabad and Chakan Da Bagh in a time bound manner.
A team of senior officers of the State Government led by the Chief Secretary, Mr. S. S. Kapur and comprising the Director General of Police, Mr. Kuldeep Khoda, Principal Secretary, Home, Mr. Anil Goswami, Director General of Police, CID, Mr. Ashok Bhan, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mr. Masuad Samoon, Commissioner/Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Dr. Pawan Kotwal and Chief Engineer, BEACON, Brigadier A. K. Bhutani accompanied the Central team. |
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