Kathmandu, Feb. 25
Four large infrastructure projects – Muktinath Cable
Car, Damak Industrial Park, Private Freight Terminal and Bulk Handling
Facilities in Birgunj and Bhairahawa, and Multimodel Logistics Park in
Biratnagar – have entered the evaluation process at the Investment Board of
Nepal (IBN).
The projects will have a combined investment of Rs.
137.2 billion.
The board has begun the evaluation process after the
developers of the projects, being facilitated by the IBN, submitted the
Detailed Feasibility Study Reports (DFSRs) and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs)
of the respective projects.
Internal technical committee of the board has recently
prepared the draft DPR of Muktinath Cable Car, the longest cable car project in
Nepal to connect Bire Thanti of Kaski district to Muktinath, in Mustang
district.
Bire Thanti is one of the entry-points to the
Annapurna Conservation Area while Muktinath Temple is situated at about 3,800-metre
altitude.
The report is being evaluated by the evaluation
committee of the board, said Ramesh Adhikari, under-secretary of the IBN. The developer
had submitted the DPR of the project on 29 November 2020.
Muktinath Darshan Pvt. Ltd. had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the board on 12 September 2018 to develop and operate the
83.6 km long cable car to one of the holiest shrines for Hindus and Buddhists.
The project would be developed with the investment of
Rs. 53 billion. The cable car will have stations at Bire Thanti, Ghorepani,
Tatopani, Lete Marpha, Jomsom, Kagbeni and Muktinath.
Likewise, Damak Industrial Park is in the process of
land acquisition. The IBN will sign Project Development Agreement (PDA) with
the developer company Damak Clean Industrial Park Pvt. Ltd. following the land
management, said Adhikari.
The high-tech industrial infrastructure would be
developed in 1,600 hectares of land at a cost of Rs. 113 billion. However, it
will be developed in four phases and the IBN had approved the investment of US$
586 million in the first phase. First phase will be completed in three years.
The park is expected to boost the export of made in
Nepal goods particularly non-traditional exports, introduce new technology and
transfer new skills and expertise to local manpower. It will have 491
industrial plots that will house white goods (electronic) industrial park,
transportation equipment industrial park, textile and garments industrial park,
food processing industrial park, electronic information industrial park.
The park, with the investment from Lhasa Economic and
Technological Development Zone, Jing-Ping Joint Creation Construction Project
Development Co. Ltd., will also have logistic park, and scientific and
technical innovation and training park as the supporting industry.
Similarly, Private Freight Terminal and Bulk Handling
Facilities in Birgunj and Bhairahawa are being developed by the consortium of Flash
Freight Logistics and International Cargo Terminal and Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.
The Board had signed an MoU with the developer in
November 2019. The Rs. 10 billion project is expected to bring down travel time
and transportation costs.
CG Logistics Pvt. Ltd. and Sharaf Group have also
submitted the DFSR of the Multi-model Logistics Park Project to be constructed
in Biratnagar. The Board had signed an MoU with them in June 2019.
The Rs. 7.18 billion project will feature railway
terminal, inland container depot/dry port, warehouse, steel stockyard, steel
service centre, clinker handling – wagon tippler, tank farms – liquid cargo and
auto hub.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 February 2021.
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