Facilities lacking in Land Port Dawki opened by union minister of state for home

Dawki, May 4: Union minister of state ,home affairs Nityanand Rai opened the land port here on Thursday but facilities like cold storage and adequate parking space are lacking.

Spread across 23 acres, the land port is 55 kms away from the district headquarters, Jowai, and about 84 kms from state capital Shillong,. The corresponding land port in Bangladesh is Tamabil, located in the Sylhet district.

Officials and exporters from India and Bangladesh were present on the occasion.

Speaking to reporters, some businessmen and exporters from both Bangladesh and India shared their concerns over lack of adequate  facilities at the Dawki port.

“Parking facilities are not upto the mark and another most important facility- cold storage is yet to come up”, said Fakrul Islam , a businessman from Bangladesh.

Local trader Lop Pohtam agreed and hoped that the government will set up these facilities.

Trade activites between Dawki and Tamabil are also limited as coal and boulders are the main items exported from India while chips from Pran company, RFL pipes and others are imported from Bangladesh.

Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar,  High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh , Pranay Kumar Verma , Chairman, Bangladesh Land Ports Authority Mohd. Alamgir and Chairman, Land Ports Authority of India Aditya Mishra spoke on the importance of Dawki port and how it can improve the trade and commerce between both the countries.

With the new land port, the government also aims at improving the tourism industry as the facilities will attract more visitors.

The port will also facilitate passenger movement across the border and the existing facilities will be shifted to the new building.

Local MLA Lahkmen Rymbui, Additional Chief Secretary Shakil Ahmed, BSF IG Meghalaya frontier Pradip Kumar were also present. Vi

The development of the port was approved by High Level Empowered Committee (HLEC) of MHA on February 4, 2016.