EASTERN Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EPCCI) is ready to facilitate construction of a dry port by the private sector at the Chipata-Mchinji railway project to start operations.

After being officially commissioned in 2010, the Chipata-Mchinji railway line has not been in operation due to lack of a dry port on the Zambian side.

EPCCI vice-president for trade, Davies Mwanamoyo said in Chipata yesterday that the chamber was ready to engage the private sector to build the sheds on the Zambian side to make the project viable.

Zambia Railways Limited acting managing director Regina Mwale recently said lack of funds had delayed the erection of the dry port.

Mr Mwanamoyo appealed to the Government to allow the chamber to engage the private sector to build the storage facilities on the Zambian side to kick-start the multi-million dollar project.

Central East Africa Rails (CEAR) is a private company engaged to operate the Chipata-Mchinji rail line to the port of Nacala in Mozambique via Malawi.

CEAR civil engineer, Paul Madula blamed the lack of activities atthe project on the Zambian Government.

He claimed that the lack of storage facilities at the Chipata-Mchnjia rail terminal had hindered the flow of goods from both countries.