Even after eight months of formal opening the country's third seaport - Payra - is yet to start handling of goods due to lack of proper planning, officials have said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the seaport at Kalapara in Patuakhali on November 19 last year.
Member of Payra Port Authority (PPA) Manoj Kanti Boral told the FE Monday they are working to start handling of goods at the port by December.
He said primarily the port will start functioning as an anchorage port and handle goods like cement and stone.
"We have discussed with the ship owners and users about making the port functional by the year-end."
Officials said usually feasibility study of a port is carried out before its site selection and beginning of any construction work. But in case of Payra a small-scale feasibility study was carried out by Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) after inauguration of the port.
They said even after eight months of inauguration of the port neither detailed feasibility study nor business model is prepared.
A senior ministry of shipping (MoS) official told the FE that the site is not appropriate for construction of a large seaport.
He said in some cases the water depth is only 3 to 4 meter, where large or medium sized vessels will not be able to ply. "Even ships over 4-metre draft will not be able to reach the site. At least 7-metre draft is needed for a seaport site."
"To get necessary draft to help ships reach the port, capital dredging through a large area will be needed, which will cost the public exchequer a lot," he said.
The official said the port's connectivity with Dhaka will be very complicated due to poor navigability of inland river route as well as absence of road and rail connection.
"The depth of water in inland river route connecting the port with Dhaka and other cities is very low. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has a C-category river route connecting the port, with only 1.5 to 2.0 metre depth, where even small vessels won't be able to ply with full load of goods."
The official also said the vessel owners will feel discouraged to use the route, as they will have to carry half load of goods, which is not viable for them. He expressed concern over success of the anchorage port.
Another senior official said the port has no full-time chairman. Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman Nizam Uddin Ahmed is in the additional charge of the Payra seaport chairman.
He said Mr Ahmed is over-burdened with his work in Chittagong port. He can hardly give time for Payra port. Thus necessary activities relating to functioning of the new port are being hampered.  Â
CPA has already spent nearly Tk 60 million for carrying out construction work in the port area. The government has kept Tk 556 million allocation in the budget for 2014-15 fiscal for the port.
Besides, PPA has got approval of a development project proposal of Tk 2.473 billion from MoS for buying 1,000 acres of land, construction of a warehouse, dredging of two river routes, procuring safety equipments, pilot boat, tug boat, and other equipments.
In February MoS asked PPA to prepare a time-bound plan to make the seaport operational. It also asked the authority to discuss with ministries of food and industries to take initiatives for importing food grains and fertilisers through the port.
PPA has also been asked to organise seminars and discussions in presence of traders, so that they use the port for importing or exporting goods.
Payra seaport yet to handle goods after 8 months
Syful Islam | Published: July 23, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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