By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 2: Almost 55 percent construction work under international competitive bidding and 58 per cent under national competitive bidding section on dry port at Chobhar in Kirtipur Municipality-6 have completed.
The dry port is being constructed in two sections -- under the national and under the international competitive bidding.
The physical infrastructures related to dry port is being constructed at the bottom of Chobhar hill and other quarters -- building and official building -- are being constructed at Chobhar hill areas, said Humanath Khanal, senior infrastructure engineer with the Nepal Intermodal Transportation Development Board (NITDB).
The construction of inner roads and parking area has also neared completion, he said.
Khanal said that construction works had gathered pace after Chhath festival, adding that the lockdown, monsoon season and festivals like Dashian and Tihar forced the works to move at snail’s pace.
The deadline for international competitive bidding has been extended to April 24, 2021.
“We are speeding up the work with the objective of completing the project within stipulated time and bringing it in operation after six months,” he said.
The World Bank has provided assistance worth over 2.18 billion to construct the dry port in 228 of 816 ropnais land owned by Himal Cement Factory in Chobhar.
The purpose of the dry port is to store goods imported from the third countries.
Once completed, the dry port will have the capacity to accommodate 626 containers, parking facility for the 205 trucks, warehouses, customs administrative building, banks and loading and unloading facilities.
The NITDB had awarded the construction contract to the Aashish Joint Venture and Lumbini-Koshi and Neupane joint venture in August 2018.