In view of the second and final phase of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, the movement of people and vehicles on the Bangladesh border routes in the State's North 24 Parganas district has been restricted.
The restriction imposed on April 26 will continue till the completion of the polling process and applies to the Petrapole land port, the largest such facility in South Asia.
The Petrapole land port handles a substantial share of India-Bangladesh trade and typically sees around 700-1,000 trucks crossing daily, carrying goods such as garments, cotton yarn, food items, plastics, and engineering products.
West Bengal shares a 2,200-km-long international border with Bangladesh, making it a crucial corridor for trade.
Several smaller land customs stations in districts like Nadia and Murshidabad also facilitate cross-border trade, though at lower volumes.
During elections, the authorities routinely impose restrictions along the border to curb illegal activities, including smuggling and unauthorised movement, which could impact the integrity of the polling process.
However, cases of medical emergencies, voters returning to exercise their franchise, and transport of perishable goods are exempted from the curb.
142 assembly constituencies in West Bengal will go to the polls on April 29. The counting will take place on May 4.
The first phase of the elections that were held across 152 assembly segments, recorded 93.19 per cent polling - the highest ever in the state.
