Kendrapada: Chief Secretary Asit Triapthy and Secretary to CM (5T) VK Pandian were on a tour to the district today morning when they reviewed the plan and proposal of the proposed riverine port on river Mahanadi.
The senior officials were directed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to visit the site and review the proposed project. They were accompanied by Mahakalpada MLA Atanu Sabyasachi, Special Secretary, Commerce & Transport Manoj Mishra, Paradip Port Trust (PPT) Chairman Rinkesh Roy and senior officials of PPT, local police and administration.
The proposed port would come up at Akhadasali village under Mahakalpada Block, 13 kilometres from the mouth of Mahanadi at Paradip. PPT will be developing the riverine port as the Odisha Government had decided to set up such a port on PPP mode. This will be an all-weather and multi-user port at the river mouth of the Mahanadi, which will be built and maintained by the PPT.
“The all-weather and multi-user port on river Mahanadi will have a capacity of 54 MTPA and and will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 4,062 crore. In the first phase, 22 MTPA capacity port will be built at Rs 2,562 crore,” the Chief Secretary informed.
PPT will develop supporting project infrastructure like rail and road connectivity and dredging requirements of the Port. The State Government has identified 300 hectares of land for the project. Odisha Government will also provide necessary support to PPT in respect of any additional land required for the Project, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) informed.
In 2018, the State Government decided to go ahead with ‘Mahanadi Riverine Port’ and a request for quotation (RFQ) was issued. However, the project could not progress due to lack of interest by potential bidders. The PPT evinced interest in the project and consequently, the MoU was proposed to be signed with the State Government.
“On commissioning, the Port will provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to more than 4,000 persons in the first phase and about another 1700 in the second. The riverine port, along with the State aided Haridaspur-Paradip Railway line, will go a long way in boosting the economy of the Kendrapara district,” Tripathy added.
