outgoing GM Railways, Rana Saeed Akhtar, Divisional Superintendent of Railway Multan were also present there
Chairman railway told newsmen that the dry port was being established under the directives of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. It would be established near Sher Shah Multan on 26 acres of land on public-private partnership basis. The MDPT was the only applicant, which pre-qualified for this project.The Dry Port would be established on about 26.072 acres Railways Land under lease agreement for 33 years on BOT basis, according to official documents. Pakistan Railways will invest Rs433 million, while the MDPT would invest Rs169.230 million in this project over the period of three years.The MDPT will transfer all the super structure constructed on railway land to Pakistan Railways on the expiry of agreement on salvage value, according to the agreement. The existing private sector dry port shall remain functional up to five years and thereafter its viability of discontinuation will be assed by MDPT.The MDPT will provide a bank guarantee and national defense saving certificates of Rs2.000 million within 15 days from the possession date.The Pakistan Railways will build a railway station at Pir Mukhtiar Wala, rail interconnections and sidings to facilitate the project.The responsibilities of the MDPT include preparing a Master Plan of the project, which shall be finalized by 30th June 2010, purchasing land from Military Authority for roads, pavement of area of loading and unloading of containers and building cold storages. The PR would charge royalty at the rate of Rs900 per container on all the loaded import containers and at the rate of Rs450 per loaded export container, which leaves Pakistan Railway Pir Mukhtiar Wala Dry Port. The royalty will be increased by 5pc after every three years.The MDPT shall pay to PR annual lease charges at 1 percent of value of land. However, from the date of possession to effective date MDPT will pay 50 percent of the lease charges.
