DP Rail, a UK (United Kingdom) company, has expressed its interest to invest US$ 7.5 billion for construction of Payra-Dhaka railway connectivity, officials said.
On June 2 last, the company put up a proposal to the Ministry of Railways showing interest to set up Payra-Dhaka freight railway connectivity.Â
The proposal was also sent to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Board of Investment (BoI) and other ministries concerned, they added.
The DP Rail Limited's proposal is a £5.0 billion ($7.5 billion) project to design, finance, build, operate and maintain the new 240km Payra port to Dhaka freight railway on a foreign direct investment (FDI) basis, according to the letter containing the offer.
It is a truly exciting and indeed vitally important infrastructure investment for Bangladesh. Building on the close connections and a long history of collaboration between our countries, the UK government and the UK rail supply industry are supporting the project which presents Bangladesh with a best-of-British solution, the letter said.
There is a clear imperative to serve the new deep-water port at Payra from the earliest possible date, they letter also mentioned.
The DP Rail is very much interested and it is looking forward to working with the ministries concerned to help make this project a reality in the interest of both Bangladesh and the UK, said an official of the railways ministry.
DP Rail is being supported by major Chinese rail companies like CCECC and indeed the parent organisation, CRCC.Â
The FE reporter failed to contact with secretary of the railways ministry Md Feroz Salah Uddin for his comment on the issue despite several attempts. Â
Payra Port is a fast track project of the government considering its importance for development of country's economy. Â
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated Payra Port on November 19, 2013 at Lalua union of Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali.
Government has taken short, mid and long-term plans to develop a state-of-the-art modern sea port. As the short-term plan, the Payra Port Authority is set up to operate the port activities by offloading cargoes from mother ships at outer/inner anchorage and transport those to the hinterlands through river routes.
Under the mid-term plan, by 2018, the government is going to operate the port with at least one multipurpose and one bull terminal where deep-draught vessels can berth safely.Â
Under the long-term plan, by 2023, the port would be fully operational with all associated facilities.
Presently the port users use the river routes connecting Dhaka and other districts.Â
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