Plan to spend Rs 70k cr on 12 major ports: Gadkari

The Centre is planning to invest Rs 70,000 crore for the development of 12 major ports in the country under the Sagarmala Project.

Union Shipping and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who chaired the first meeting of the National Sagarmala Apex Committee here on Monday, told reporters that the project is aimed at providing an institutional framework for ensuring integrated development, including modernisation and setting up of new ports, and efficient evacuation to and from hinterland. He said about Rs 70,000 crore would be spent on development of major ports only which have received 104 suggestions from international consultants to increase efficiency.

Once implemented, this will result in cargo traffic increasing three-fold while the ports will also go under performance audit, the minister said. He said the government is focusing on waterways as transport through rivers is much cheaper and costs barely 30-40 paise per km in comparison to Rs 1 through Railways and Rs 1.5 through roads.

“Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd in Odisha is expanding its output capacity to 260 million tonnes from the present 60 million tonnes and if the coal is transported through water, this will save Rs 7,000 crore annually,” he added. He said two ports — Kandla and Paradip — were being developed into Green smart cities and the government is eyeing at Rs 4,500 profit from ports this fiscal. Government also aims to promote tourism and fishery under Sagarmala, he said, adding that there are 290 light houses and 1,300 islands in the country which could be developed.

He said 13 states and union territories were involved in Sagarmala initiative which will be implemented across India’s 7,500 kms coastline.