Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) which operates a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) near the port in Maharashtra plans to auction 100 acres by the first week of December 2024. 

“There is huge demand for land. But we now have only 100 acres left. We are going to auction 100 acres by the end of this month or the first week of December 2024. However, we will reserve this auction only for manufacturers. These will be smaller plots. We already have enough players in the warehousing sector. Now we want manufacturing units to come up,” Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Chairman, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), told businessline.

JNPA, which is the developer and special planning authority for the SEZ, had established it as a multi-product enclave on over 277 hectares (about 685 acres). This SEZ has been operational since June 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for this SEZ in August 2014.

“We have an orange environmental clearance and whatever sectors are permitted are welcome,” Wagh added. Depending on the type of polluting industries or level of pollution, the government has conducted a colour coded categorisation of industries. Those industries that fall under the “orange” category are less polluting industries like glass manufacturing, aluminium or copper extraction, fruits and vegetables, as well as a number of food processing industries.

Shore-power project

JNPA is also setting up India’s first shore power project and is in the final stages of appointing a Project Management Consultancy firm for preparing the tender. This pilot project that is meant to eliminate the use of diesel for powering ships that berth at the port, is expected to be executed at the terminal belonging to Gateway Terminals India, which is a joint venture between APM Terminals and the Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR). JNPA will be investing close to ₹100 crore for this project.

“We have targeted to commission this project by the next Independence day,” Wagh added. “We have also got permission from the electricity department to sell power to ships. The legal things are in place and now we have to build the infrastructure,” the chairman added.

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