Essar Projects Ltd (EPL) has bagged the Rs 225-crore project for the development of the roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) facility in Gujarat, whose foundation stone was laid by the Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, at Ghogha port, 20 km from Bhavnagar.

The State port regulator, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), has awarded the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to EPL for developing the ro-ro ferry service terminal linking Ghogha in Bhavnagar district and Dahej in Bharuch district, thus linking South Gujarat with the Saurashtra region.

The project is scheduled to be completed in the next 15 months.

The ro-ro ferry facility for passenger and goods movement via the sea route, through the Gulf of Cambay (Khambhat), will reduce the distance between the two places from 360 km to just 31 km, thus saving in fuel costs and travel-time, and contributing towards a cleaner and greener Gujarat, an official said here.

Earlier, the GMB had earmarked Rs 296 crore for the ro-ro project.

The scope of Essar Projects' contract includes design and construction of the ro-ro service terminals at both Ghogha and Dahej, an approach bund of 609 meters, trestle of 562 m, seven Dolphins spread over 84 m, a link span of 96 m and a pontoon, besides reclamation and construction of a bund or rock revetment of 488 m.

Coastal Area Development Board

This project is part of the State Government's effort to develop the 1,600-km coastline as a means to develop trade and transport between Southern Gujarat and Kutch.

For this purpose, it has constituted a Gujarat Coastal Area Development Board (GCADB).

focus

The GMB and the GCADB will primarily focus on tourism, forest and environment, development of fisheries and industries and natural calamity management, etc.

A GMB survey of November 2008 had demonstrated the potential in passenger and cargo traffic along the proposed sea-route, leading to the development of a ferry service in the Gulf of Cambay.

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