Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of several development schemes at Payra Seaport on Thursday to ensure its smooth operations with better facilities.

The development works include capital dredging of the port, inauguration of eight ships, the first terminal and construction of a six-lane approach road and a bridge, said a press release on Wednesday.

The premier will virtually inaugurate the development schemes, involving around Taka 11,072 crore, from her official residence Ganabhaban, it said.

The capital dredging of the seaport's Rabnabad channel will create a 75km-long, 100-125meter-wide and 10.5meter-deep channel, building a capacity to dock 40,000 tons of cargo or 3000 container-laden ships at the port.

The capital dredging channel will cost an estimated Taka 4,950 crore while Belgium based dredging company--Jan De Nul will carry out the dredging work.

The ships and vessels built for the Payra Seaport at a cost of Taka 209.74 crore will help the port authority to monitor the arrival and departure of foreign ships and maintain the channel.

The eight vessels to be inaugurated tomorrow include two pilot vessels, two heavy duty speedboats, a buoy laying vessel, a survey boat and two tugboats.

Once the construction of the first terminal, the six-lane highway and the bridge is completed, three foreign ships carrying containers or bulk cargos will be able to dock simultaneously at the Payra Seaport.

After completing the construction work of the first terminal at a cost of Taka 4,516.75 crore, it will be opened for operation by December, 2023.

The 6.35km-long six-lane approach road is being constructed by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD).

Spectra Engineers Limited has been appointed to construct the road at a cost of Taka 655.50 crore. The construction work of the road is expected to be completed by December, 2023.

A 1,180 meter-long bridge will be built at a cost of Taka 740 crore over the Andharmanik river to transport goods of the Payra Seaport.

The bridge is expected to be constructed in 30 months (two and a half years).

According to the release, these development schemes will enable the port to function at its full capacity and add new dimensions to the country's foreign trade, the benefits of which will be enjoyed by the nation for ages.

Noting that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Payra Seaport on November 19 in 2013, the release said so far, 236 sea-going ships have arrived at the port, through which about Taka 548 crore revenue has been earned.

Source: BSS