Transit for Tripura Power Plant : Deal likely next week
Bangladesh is likely to sign an agreement with India next week to
allow the neighbouring country transit for a year and a half to carry
power plant equipment to Tripura from West Bengal.
The deal would not be done as part of the on-going talks on transit
and transhipment between Bangladesh and three neighbouring nations --
India, Nepal and Bhutan, said Shipping Secretary Abdul Mannan
Howlader.
The governments of the two countries would sign a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) next week allowing India to have road and river
transit without any charge, he said.
India would not pay any fees for the transit in line with the agreed
principle of the joint communiqué signed by the prime ministers of the
two countries, said a high official at the shipping ministry.
Bangladesh has granted India the waiver to transit fees only for
transport of power plant machinery because of the friendly relations
between the two nations, the secretary said.
He said India would pay Bangladesh the estimated cost of Tk 25 crore
for renovation and repair of roads and ports, and Bangladeshi
contractors would do the work.
"It was agreed that Ashuganj in Bangladesh and Shilghat in India shall
be declared ports of call. IWTT [Inland Water Trade and Transit]
protocol shall be amended through exchange of letters. A joint team
will assess the improvement of the infrastructure and the cost for one
time or longer-term transportation of ODC [Over Dimensional Cargo]
from Ashuganj. India will make the necessary investment," reads the
joint communiqué.
A team led by a joint secretary of the shipping ministry has prepared
a MoU, which now lies with the law ministry for vetting.
The shipping secretary said the MoU could be signed on Monday or
Tuesday after the vetting is done.
A 726-megawatt power plant is under construction at Palatana in the
Indian state of Tripura. Heavy equipment for the plant would be taken
to Tripura from Kolkata by waterway and roads through Bangladesh
territory.
The consignments of equipment would enter Bangladesh through Raimongal
River in India via Angtihara. From there those would be brought to
Ashuganj through waterways via Barisal and Chandpur.
They would be transported to Tripura by road from Ashuganj via Akhaura
in Bangladesh.
About 16 kilometres of 45-kilometre road from Ashuganj to Akhaura need
to be repaired along with other roads for transport of the equipment,
said a high-up of the shipping ministry.
Roads and Highways Department has already appointed a Bangladeshi
contractor for the job.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has also started
renovating the Ashuganj river port.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=163828
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