The Paradip Port Trust (PPT) is planning to develop an additional cargo-handling facility at a location far away from Paradip.
“We would like to have a satellite port at Bahuda Mohana near Berhampur in Ganjam district of Odisha,” Mr G. J. Rao, Chairman, PPT, told Business Line . “We've approached the State government for land and waterfront”.
About 2,500 acres belonging to the State government is already available in the area and PPT has asked for that land.
The Government response is awaited.
Detailed report soon
When ready for operation, the proposed satellite port, with a capacity of 20 million tonnes (mt), would handle mainly bulk cargoes, Mr Rao said, adding “we will start work on preparation of a detailed project report as soon as the State government gives the clearance”.
The cost of the project would be clear once the detailed report is ready.
“By current estimates, the initial investment for constructing two to three berths should be around Rs 2,500 crore, but then it is too early to comment firmly in this regard,” he added.
Golden jubilee
Meanwhile, PPT is getting ready for the golden jubilee celebration to be held at Paradip on Friday.
The foundation stone for the port was laid by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on January 3, 1962.
The first berth, an iron ore berth, was commissioned in 1966. Currently, the port has 14 berths and a single point mooring with the total capacity of 70 mt and the traffic throughput is around 55/56 mt annually.
Major plans
The port authorities, according to the Chairman, have ambitious expansion plans to augment the capacity to 250 mt with 28 berths by 2020. The estimated investment could be around Rs 10,000 crore or so.
The Union Shipping Minister, Mr G. K. Vasan, the Minister of State for Programme Implementation and Statistics, Mr Sri Kant Jena, the Odisha Chief Minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, the Shipping Secretary, Mr K. Mohandas, the chairmen of all major ports (except Kochi port) and half a dozen past chairmen of Paradip port, among others, will attend the celebration.