DP World plans plush tea resort

The DP World group, the Dubai-headquartered port operator, is planning to set up a seven-star resort in the tea gardens of Darjeeling for Rs 1,500 crore (Rs 15 billion), which includes creation of supporting infrastructure.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World, will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Sunday in this regard.

Besides the tea resort, for which he is seeking a local partner, Bin Sulayem will discuss the setting up of an airport near Kolkata and a minor port at Kulpi, in which DP World holds 44.5 per cent, the rest being held by the Keventer group and the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

The West Bengal Tea Development Corporation owns five tea gardens that have been identified for tea tourism and Bin Sulayem will visit them. DP World already had clients for the project, official sources said.

"The DP World group has clients world-wide for such ventures that are ready to invest in improvement of infrastructure, including a new airport near Bagdogra," they added.

The Bagdogra airport is owned by the Indian Air Force, and though civilian aircraft are permitted to land there, the IAF has made it clear that it is not happy with the arrangement. Thus, there is an urgent need for a new airport to serve north Bengal and north-east India.

DP World is also keen to develop a greenfield airport on the proposed Barasat-Raichak expressway, south-east of Kolkata. The expressway is proposed to be built by Indonesia-based Salim group.<hr>

Destination India

• The project will include the creation of supporting infrastructure:
• DP World has identified five tea gardens owned by the West Bengal Tea Development Corporation for tea tourism.
• The company is keen to rope in a local partner for the proposed project.
• The company also plans to discuss the setting up of an airport near Kolkata and a minor port at Kulpi, in which DP World holds 44.5 per cent.