Kamalapur multimodal transport hub sees progress

The planned multimodal transport hub (MmTH) on Kamalapur rail station premises has made progress by finally appointing an Indian joint venture company as the transaction advisor (TA) to conduct an extensive study for the mega public-private partnership (PPP) project.

The Public Private Partnership Authority has appointed E&Y (Ernest and Yan) and RITES of India as the TA, responsible for conducting a comprehensive feasibility analysis for the public partner.

Sources said that the JV firm was selected from among four shortlisted companies to undertake the Tk 100 million bidding.

Previously, the PPP Authority had appointed the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as the TA. However, BUET was unable to prepare a desirable report for this new kind of project under the PPP modality.

Later, the PPP Authority called for expressions of interest from international firms but received only one proposal in 2021, which was not accepted.

Nevertheless, reliable sources said that the Indian firm that bid Tk 120 billion narrowly qualified, as the other bidders from Singapore and German companies quoted much higher prices above Tk 170 million.

Bangladesh Railway (BR) has been planning to develop the Kamalapur MmTH under the public-private partnership (PPP) with a government-to-government approach after the project was initiated during the Bangladesh-Japan joint platform meeting in 2018.

Kajima Corporation, selected by the Japanese government's concerned ministry for the billion-dollar private investment project, has already shared the conceptual plan with BR to set up the hub spanning 256 acres of land.

The MmTH will include various infrastructures such as a business hub, public square and other facilities. The hub will be connected to multiple modes of transport, including existing train services, high-speed trains, metro rail and a bus terminal.

BR officials said a delegation from the company is currently in the city to share the plan through a series of meetings with various stakeholders, aiming to inform and get an understanding of the various laws and policies related to building necessary infrastructures in a business model.

The TA's role is to assist BR in assessing alternate methods of project delivery and operation, along with affordability limits, risks, costs, optimal value-for-money (VfM) methods of procurement and delivery and legal issues.

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