MULTAN: A bounded cargo train service is the need of the hour at the Multan Dry Port for drawing attention of the importers and exporters for the advancement of this region.
This was stated by Multan Dry Port Deputy Collector Dr Ali Malik while talking to Customs Today.
He said that Mukhtar Wala Dry Port was one of the most essential projects for the expansion of business in the South Punjab region.
“The Multan Dry Port is the only port for the facilitation of importers and exporters in the region for their corporate determination of business in this area,” he expressed.
Dr Ali said that Mukhtar Wala Dry Port project was announced on the visit of Federal Board of Revenue Chairman Tariq Bajwa during the month of September 2014. “For Mukhtar Wala Dry Port, the Pakistan Railways has already allotted a space of 25 acres. An agreement was also signed between both the parties – Pakistan Railways and Multan Customs authorities – for the development of this project.”
He said that it was very unfortunate that the project had been dropped from the future projects due to ignorance of stakeholders of this region.
He said that the project was proposed by the Multan Customs, and that the Pakistan Railways had agreed to operate a bounded cargo train service, which was expected to raise commercial movement of imports and exports at the Multan Dry Port.
Dr Ali Malik disclosed that the Pakistan Railways had provided 25 acres of land worth Rs 500 million near Sher Shah and its construction was also going to start, but surprisingly, due to some unrevealed reasons, the project was shelved.
He said that the Pakistan Railways was ready to construct separate railway junction for the importers of this region by declaring Sher Shah Junction a bounded area. The initial cost of the project was estimated at around Rs 170 million.
The Multan deputy collector said that due to non-existence of private party, the Pakistan Railways had offered the Multan Dry Port Trust to engage in public-private partnership for the construction of the Mukhtar Wala Dry Port, but the trust was not ready to enter into the partnership.
The idea of the Mukhtar Wala Port was very upright and this idea needs marketing in order to continue with this project, he said, and added that the project would be more prosperous for the development of this region than the Prem Nagar Dry Port project for which land was purchased and it had its own cargo train services.
He said that the Pakistan Railways had offered free of cost land for the Mukhtar Wala Port, a project which needs more concentration and proper planning.
He said that the Multan Dry Port got Rs 500 million for the project from the railway and for further Rs 170 million private parties were invited to invest in the project.
Ali was of the view that there was a need to understand the importance of bounded cargo train service for the progress of this region, and this project has a potential to give a boost to industrial sector in the region.
He believed that when the bounded cargo train service will start, fare charges of import consignment will reduce by up to 80 percent.
Moreover, bounded cargo train project will attract all exporters and importers of the region due to nominal charges, and then the business community of this region will prefer clearance from the Multan Dry Port, he added.
