The government has gone a step further towards building airport-modelled busports, logisticports, and an e-mobility manufacturing ecosytem by tasking three consultants to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for the projects.
The preparation of the DPR has been entrusted to the consultants empanelled by the National Informatics Centre Service Inc after a committee set up under the Transport Department reviewed the preliminary proposals submitted by them. The Principal Secretary, Transport, has issued orders fixing the duration of completion, fee regarding assignment, and the terms and conditions, official sources said. The consultants selected for preparing the DPR are PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG (Registered), and Ernst and Young.
In the case of busports, the consultants should undertake feasibility studies of five locations each in the State and deliver the DPR of at least two. They will have to do the bid process management and handhold till the signing of the concession agreement with private investors.
A five-acre plot of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation along the National Highway 66 byass at Eenchakkal in the capital, exit of the KSRTC terminal near the Ernakulam South railway station, and Malaparamba in Kozhikode figure among the five locations under consideration for the busport.
Central funding
A 40% Centrally funded project of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), the aim is to set up at least one busport in every State with all advanced facilities. The remaining 60% will be through public-private partnership and the main condition is to allow buses of private operators in the port. The ports will have busbays, ticket counters, food courts, restrooms, drinking water, toilets, parking facility for private stage carriers and luxury buses, and service centres.
For the logisticport, Pricewaterhouse Coopers should undertake feasibility studies of five locations and deliver two sites to the department. A period of 65 man-months from the kick-off date has been given for completing the assignment.
The e-mobility manufacturing ecosystem is being pushed through for creating infrastructure for electric vehicles to embrace environment-friendly electric mobility . The consultant has been given 45 days to complete the assignment.
