SAARC countries agree to establish road, rail links
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Nazmul Ahsan
Member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have agreed in principle to establish road and railway links with the territories of each other to bolster the regional economic cooperation, officials in the ministries of commerce and communication said.
The decision has recently been taken at the first meeting of the 'Expert Group to Negotiate Draft Regional Agreements on Motor Vehicles and Railways', held in the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Official representatives of eight member countries of SAARC attended the meeting.
An inter-ministerial meeting, held in the communication ministry in third week of November, discussed in detail the pros and cons of the proposed agreement. The meeting, presided over by Ali Kabir, secretary, Ministry of Communications decided in favour of striking the regional vehicle and railway agreements, sources said.
The meeting has also discussed the possible road routes, particularly to and from Bangladesh to its neighbouring countries, an official, who attended the meeting said.
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan are the members of SAARC.
According to sources, both passenger and cargo transportation will come under the purview of the agreement. The transportation will take place only through authorized operator, the agreement added.
The draft agreement has proposed to provide the Maldives and Sri Lanka with facilities of sea route and ferry services in the territories of member countries under the agreement to facilitate their regional transportation.
'The vehicles carrying passengers or goods to/from the Maldives and Sri Lanka shall partly use sea route and ferry services or any other means of transport to complete sea journey through the specified port, in accordance with the customs laws of the respective member states,' reads the draft agreement.
The permission for regular passenger transportation has been proposed for multiple entries, valid for one year and renewable every year subject to a maximum period of five years, said the agreement.
According to the draft, the appropriate authorities of the Member States shall provide international road signs and signals along the specified route, wherever required. Vehicles of one country are required to observe the laws pertaining to traffic, vehicle emission, etc., and all other regulations of the other country whenever the vehicles are plying in the territory of the other country.
The State Governor or local authorities have been barred from imposing any restrictions or changes inconsistent with the provisions of the agreement, officials said.
The agreement has proposed not to impose any additional or new charges except those taxes/charges which are equally applicable to vehicles of the destination country.
The authorized operators shall be permitted to open bank accounts in the other country for remittance of funds generated by sale of bus tickets and receipt of money as a result of transportation of goods, the agreement elaborated.
The next meeting of the Expert Group is expected to be held in last of December, 2009 to finalise routes for motor vehicles and railways, officials in the communication ministry said.
India has prepared the draft of regional agreements on motor vehicles and railways, a source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
As far as links and routes for regional railway connectivity, the draft agreement has proposed five routes. These are-Lahore-Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka-Imphal, Karachi-Khokhrapar-Munabao-Jodhpur, Birgunj-Raxaul-Kolkata Port/Haldia, Birgunj-Katinar-Chittagong Port and Colombo-Chennai.
The member countries will develop the railway networks and establish rail routes of missing portions to connect the proposed five routes, the draft proposed.
Every member countries will have at least one border station as an inter exchange point through mutual consultation, a top official of the communication ministry said.
"It is a must to integrate eight member countries of SAARC with each other in the area of regional connectivity to speed up the economic growth of the region,'' the official said.
Member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have agreed in principle to establish road and railway links with the territories of each other to bolster the regional economic cooperation, officials in the ministries of commerce and communication said.
The decision has recently been taken at the first meeting of the 'Expert Group to Negotiate Draft Regional Agreements on Motor Vehicles and Railways', held in the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Official representatives of eight member countries of SAARC attended the meeting.
An inter-ministerial meeting, held in the communication ministry in third week of November, discussed in detail the pros and cons of the proposed agreement. The meeting, presided over by Ali Kabir, secretary, Ministry of Communications decided in favour of striking the regional vehicle and railway agreements, sources said.
The meeting has also discussed the possible road routes, particularly to and from Bangladesh to its neighbouring countries, an official, who attended the meeting said.
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Afghanistan are the members of SAARC.
According to sources, both passenger and cargo transportation will come under the purview of the agreement. The transportation will take place only through authorized operator, the agreement added.
The draft agreement has proposed to provide the Maldives and Sri Lanka with facilities of sea route and ferry services in the territories of member countries under the agreement to facilitate their regional transportation.
'The vehicles carrying passengers or goods to/from the Maldives and Sri Lanka shall partly use sea route and ferry services or any other means of transport to complete sea journey through the specified port, in accordance with the customs laws of the respective member states,' reads the draft agreement.
The permission for regular passenger transportation has been proposed for multiple entries, valid for one year and renewable every year subject to a maximum period of five years, said the agreement.
According to the draft, the appropriate authorities of the Member States shall provide international road signs and signals along the specified route, wherever required. Vehicles of one country are required to observe the laws pertaining to traffic, vehicle emission, etc., and all other regulations of the other country whenever the vehicles are plying in the territory of the other country.
The State Governor or local authorities have been barred from imposing any restrictions or changes inconsistent with the provisions of the agreement, officials said.
The agreement has proposed not to impose any additional or new charges except those taxes/charges which are equally applicable to vehicles of the destination country.
The authorized operators shall be permitted to open bank accounts in the other country for remittance of funds generated by sale of bus tickets and receipt of money as a result of transportation of goods, the agreement elaborated.
The next meeting of the Expert Group is expected to be held in last of December, 2009 to finalise routes for motor vehicles and railways, officials in the communication ministry said.
India has prepared the draft of regional agreements on motor vehicles and railways, a source in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
As far as links and routes for regional railway connectivity, the draft agreement has proposed five routes. These are-Lahore-Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka-Imphal, Karachi-Khokhrapar-Munabao-Jodhpur, Birgunj-Raxaul-Kolkata Port/Haldia, Birgunj-Katinar-Chittagong Port and Colombo-Chennai.
The member countries will develop the railway networks and establish rail routes of missing portions to connect the proposed five routes, the draft proposed.
Every member countries will have at least one border station as an inter exchange point through mutual consultation, a top official of the communication ministry said.
"It is a must to integrate eight member countries of SAARC with each other in the area of regional connectivity to speed up the economic growth of the region,'' the official said.