The Minister inaugurated several projects at Kamarajar Port in Chennai today. The projects include a new container terminal worth Rs.1270 crore, a new multi cargo terminal worth Rs.151 crores, railway line to container and multi cargo terminal worth Rs.60 crore, and RFID system worth Rs.11.82 crore. Shri Gadkari said the work being done under Sagarmala is estimated to create about 2 lakh direct jobs in the state in the next two years.
Shri Gadkari also announced the construction of a new Port, ENAYAM with a cost of Rs.7000 crore. He also announced a sum of Rs.300 crore for fishing harbour development, Rs.100 crore for Deep fishing Traveller scheme, Passenger Terminal at Kanyakumari and Coastal Berth at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. Shri Pon Radhakrishnan was also there. He said almost all major ports in the country are making profits since the last three years.
The Kamarajar Port was set up in 1999. The Kamarajar Port was initially only for coal, but has diversified into multi- cargo –liquid, bulk, Automobile, coal etc. the present capacity of the port is 320 lakh tonnes. In last 3 years, 5 projects have been initiated for new capacity of 540 lakh tonnes per year with investment of Rs.7,100 crores. The port has new facility for containers, general cargo, two new coal berths and LNG terminals. As a result the cargo capacity of Port will be 960 lakh tonnes by 2018.
The projects which are being initiated now are- RORO-cum-general cargo berth and IOCL liquid jetty. The new liquid terminal will increase the capacity of the port by 90 lakh tonnes per year with investment of Rs.1200 crores. The master plan of the Port has shown that capacity of 1600 lakh tonnes can be created by 2035.
UM/NP/MS
