A CORRESPONDENT
TANGLA: The State Government's renewed push to operationalize the Samrang Land Customs Station (LCS) along the Indo -Bhutan border in the Udalguri district has stirred fresh expectations across the region, especially in Tangla-the nearest major town and commercial hub to the border point and a likely beneficiary of revived Indo-Bhutan trade. In a meeting held in Guwahati on Saturday, Assam Chief Secretary Dr. Ravi Kota once again conferred with H.E. Jigme Thinlye Namgyal, Consul General of Bhutan, to review outstanding issues tied to the functioning of the LCS. The discussion focused on possible interim arrangements that could allow Samrang to begin limited operations while long-term infrastructure is taken up. This follows the July 2025 directive where the Chief Secretary instructed departments-including Industries & Commerce, Mines & Minerals, Customs and AMDCL-to form a multi-agency committee and carry out a joint site inspection. The committee's report, expected to guide the State's final decision, is now under active review. On the ground, anticipation is particularly strong in Tangla. Traders, transporters and small businesses here have long argued that an operational border point at Samrang would open direct economic linkages with Bhutan's interior markets. With Tangla already functioning as a commercial centre for the western edge of Udalguri, the town is well placed to emerge as a logistics and services hub once cross-border movement picks up. Local officials and business bodies say the ripple effects could include growth in warehousing, transport services, hospitality and small-scale trade-related enterprises along the Tangla-Bhergaon-Udalguri corridor. Pertinently, if the State government pushes ahead as expected, Samrang could become the eastern counterpart to established border trade routes in western Assam, giving Udalguri its long-awaited foothold in Indo-Bhutan trade.
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