Monday, February 20, 2012

Rs 16,000 crore projects to develop ports in pipeline: Vasan



Chennai: Shipping Minister G K Vasan said his ministry has planned 22 projects worth Rs 16,000 crore this year to boost the port sector.

Speaking to reporters after a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event, he said by March about five to six projects will be rolled out besides a project worth Rs 6,700 crore for Jawahar Lal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai has already been started.

Meanwhile, Chennai Port Trust is planning a strategy to tide over Rs 226 crore loss following Madras High Court clamp on dirty cargo, which includes coal and iron ore. Vasan said a committee headed by Captain Mohan has submitted its report detailing the new areas for the Chennai Port to focus after the port lost over 18 million tonnes of cargo worth Rs 226 crore.

“Now we are looking at alternate ways to compensate the loss which includes focusing on clean cargo like edible oils, fertilizer, cruise shipping, food, wood and others, said Atulya Mishra, chairman of the port who was also present on the occasion.

Mishra said the port is also looking at out-of-the-box ideas like car parks on public private partnership model owing to the increased availability of the space.

Vasan also said his ministry will soon bring in a new land policy (leasing and other usage of land) for ports, which has gone to the Inter-Ministerial consultations. He also said his government will soon bring a new coastal shipping policy.

On the road connectivity to Ennore port, he said that last month Roadways Minister C P Joshi held discussions with representatives from Chennai Port Trust, National Highways Authority of India and Tamil Nadu government and hopefully it will be ready by June next year

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