Two new ports in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh will be commissioned by 2020, Parliament was informed on Monday.
“The government has decided to set up two new major ports, one each at Sagar in West Bengal and Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. As per the feasibility report prepared the date of completion of the Phase-I of the project at Dugarajapatnam is 2018 and for Sagar 2019-20,” Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan informed the Lok Sabha on Monday.
RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) has prepared the feasibility reports for these projects.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved setting up these ports on May 9, 2013. “Since then various steps have been taken for speedy execution of these port projects,” Mr. Vasan said.
Empowered Committee of Secretaries to resolve implementation related matters has been constituted, port limits for Dugarajapatnam has been notified. Transaction advisor for Sagar Port has been appointed and for Dugarajapatnam has been identified.
Application for land acquisition has been made and the process for obtaining environmental clearance has been initiated for the Dugarajapatnam port.
“No proposal is pending for setting up a new major port at Chennai in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Vasan said responding to a question on proposal to set up a major port at Chennai.
Currently, there are 12 major ports — Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Visakhapatanam, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin and Kandla.
These ports handle 75 per cent of the total cargo traffic in the country.
