Gopalpur port likely to be commissioned by March-end

The proposed all-weather Gopalpur port is expected to be commissioned by the end of March 2013.

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, project director of Gopalpur Ports Limited (GPL) M.M. Moharana said efforts would be made to start cargo handling by then.

It would substitute the old seasonal anchorage port. In 1987, the Odisha government had established Gopalpur as a seasonal anchorage port. In 2006, the government handed it over to the GPL for its expansion and management. The GPL had entered into an MOU with the State government to take over the port and develop it into a major all-weather one on Build-Operate-Own-Share-Transfer (BOOST) basis.

Mr. Moharana said infrastructure construction work was progressing at a brisk pace.

The breakwater to the south which has to be 1,085 metres was 50 per cent complete. Similarly work on the 360-metre intermediate breakwater was 70 per cent complete.

Piling operation for multipurpose berth was in full swing.