India wants transit of heavy equipment

DHAKA: India has sought a special transit facility for transportation of heavy consignments of power generation equipment from Kolkata port to Pallatana in Tripura state via Bangladesh, a report said here on Wednesday.

The Indian High Commission last month had requested for transportation of the machinery in line with the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) between the two countries, the New Age newspaper said quoting foreign ministry sources.

The officials could not be reached immediately for comments but the report added that the ministry thought the transportation of goods from one part of India to another part through Bangladesh was beyond the scope and mandate of the PIWTT.

The PIWTT does not allow multi-modal transport facilities ... but focuses on inland water transit aspects of the bilateral treaty between India and Bangladesh, it said quoting a foreign ministry observation.

India has reportedly proposed the route for transportation of the equipment in the first leg from Kolkata port to Ashuganj (Bangladesh) by waterway covering a distance of 854 km, and then from Ashuganj to Akhaura by road for 65 km and finally from Akhaura to Pallatana (India) by road for 60 km.

The report, however, said the foreign ministry sent the Indian proposal to shipping and communications ministries separately in September to get their opinion with its observations.