Contract for construction of dry port to be signed next week

Published On: April 30, 2019 03:00 AM NPT By: HIMNATH DEVKOTA

RASUWA, April 30: The contract award for the construction of dry port at Timure of Rasuwa district will be signed next week, according to government officials.

The Chinese contractor awarded for the construction work of the important infrastructure for trade with the northern neighbor is already in Kathmandu. The government officials say that the construction work will soon enter into implementation.

According to Intermodal Transport Development Board, an entity that develops trade infrastructure, the implementation minute or the contract will be signed by next week. The Chinese company for the construction will be mobilized within a month. The port is being built with financial assistance of the Government of China.

Board's civil engineer Pramod Acharya said that they will start preparatory works including building camps and other works during the rainy season. “The real work of construction will start after the end of rainy season,” Acharya said.

The plan of starting construction works was delayed by about six months due to technical reason. The Detailed Project Report has been prepared recently, according to the board.

The lands required for construction of dry ports have already been acquired. The port is being built in an area of eight hectares.

The board is responsible for addressing any kind of local problems and security arrangement, apart from securing customs duty waiver on the construction materials among others, according to the board's official.

The port to be built within the next 30 months will have parking area, warehouse, administrative building among others. The port can accommodate 350 containers at a time and is expected to end the burden for Nepali traders traveling up to Kerung for importing goods as well as exporting.

The work of building this port initiated after trade was stopped via the Tatopani trade route due to severe damages by the earthquake of 2015. This is the second port targeting trade facilitation with the northern neighbor. The Larcha port at Tatopani is expected to come into operation next month with the reopening of Tatopani trade route, which remains shut since 2015 earthquake.