NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday launched the Land Port Management System (LPMS), a centralized digital platform aimed at modernizing operations across land ports in the country by integrating cargo, passenger and vehicle processing into a single interface.
The platform, called VINIMAY, is a key component of the Centre’s four-pronged Smart Border Initiative, and is expected to significantly reduce paperwork and wait times and improve coordination between border management agencies.
“The Land Port Management System has been designed keeping in mind the requirements of all stakeholders, with special emphasis on security. Together with the Smart Border Initiative, this system will help create a safe and resilient border management framework,” Shah said at its launch.
The Home Secretary said the LPMS and the Smart Border Initiative will work together to create a safer and more modern border management system, helping curb illegal activities while enhancing border security.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the LPMS will provide a single electronic window for users and will enable real-time information exchange between border guarding forces, regulatory bodies and other central agencies.
“The LPMS integrates cargo management, vehicle processing and inter-agency coordination on a single platform, allowing border agencies to access and exchange information in real time,” the ministry said in a statement.
The platform is expected to eliminate approximately 90% of paperwork at land ports and reduce truck waiting times by 40% to 60%. The statement added that the gate processing time is expected to decrease by 22% to 35% through measures such as electronic single window clearances and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) based gate operations.
The Interior Minister said that 15 land ports are currently operating across the country, while 11 more will be developed over the next two or three years, bringing the total number to 26 ports.
According to government data, trade directed through land ports has increased $5000 Crore in 2014 to $83,000 crores at present.
Shah said that the concept of the Land Ports Authority of India emerged in 2012 and took shape from 2012 to 2014. After 2014, it received a new direction under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Land ports have played an important role in the overall development of border regions, promoting legitimate trade and finding solutions to challenges such as migration,” he added.
