Bhubaneswar: In addition to the existing major Paradip Port and minor ports like Dhamra and Gopalpur, State Government has planned to build up 12 more minor ports for which sites have already been identified.
This was informed in the Assembly today by Odisha Commerce & Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera while replying to a query made by BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik.
The Minister apprised the members of the House that the 12 more minor ports will come up at Subarnarekha, Bichitrapur, Bahabalpur, Inchudi and Chandipur in Balasore district while in Bhadrak district at Chudamani, at Akhadashali in Kendrapara district, at Jatadhar in Jagatsinghpur district, at Astaranga and Baliharachandi in Puri district, at Palur and Bahuda in Ganjam district.
He further informed the House that MoUs have already been signed with Creative Port Development Private Limited for constructing the Subarnarekha Port and Navayuga Engineering Company Limited will develop the Astaranga Port.
While 961.180 acres of land is required for Subarnarekha Port, 692.680 acres of land has been given to the developer. The Chief Minister has laid the foundation stone for it on 13.02.2019 and the preliminary work is on, stated the Commerce & Transport Minister.
He also informed that the Astaranga Port requires 3899.987 acres of land. While the land acquisition process is underway, the people of 7 villages have filed a petition in the High Court protesting against it. The High Court has issued a stay order on it for which the construction work could not be expedited.
The Minister added that JSW Utkal Steel Limited has been accorded seal of approval for establishing a Captive Jetty at Jatadhar in Jagatsinghpur district.
He also apprised the House that the Pre-Techno Feasibility Report has been prepared for developing ports at Bahabalpur in Balasore district, Baliharachandi in Puri district and Bahuda in Ganjam district.
150-900 hectares of land required For Bahabalpur Port. As the site of Baliharachandi has been found not feasible, 14 acres of land is required for setting up a Container Cargo Port and Cruise Terminal at Nuanai mouth in the north side of Puri city while 170-750 hectares of land is required for Bahuda Port in Ganjam district.