Central team reviews progress of LoC trade terminal

Chakan Da Bagh (Jammu and Kashmir), Oct.16 :A nine-member panel led by T.S.Raghavan, Joint Secretary in charge of the Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan desk in the External Affairs Ministry, reviewed the progress of the under-constructionrade terminal at Chakan Da Bagh on the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan on Thursday.

Work is going on at a hectic pace to ready the trade terminal and immigration centre in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The trade between India administered Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir will begin on October 21 via the Uri-Muzaffarabad road in the Kashmir Valley and a week after that trade would start in Poonch-Rawakote section in Jammu region on October 28.

"This state facility centre is being made jointly by the state and central governments of India. This has been decided on a higher level that India-Pakistan Friendship has to be taken to a higher level. so that people of both areas benefit, and peace and harmony will prevail in both the nations," said T.Sikandan, a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The trade centre, which is coming up at Rangar, will have a truck terminal, godowns, custom and immigration offices, scanning chambers with X-ray machines, weighing bridge and security posts.

The central team has fixed October 18 as the deadline for construction of the first phase of the terminal at Rangarh nallah, three km from LoC.

Chakan-da-Bagh was first opened on November 21, 2005 for providing relief to the people hit by the massive earthquake in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on October 8, 2005.

The cross-LoC point was later opened for movement of people between two parts of the state and fortnightly bus service on the route was launched on June 20, 2006, which was made weekly on September 8.

ANI