Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg on Saturday chaired the seventh meeting of the Odisha Maritime Board, which reviewed a range of measures to strengthen the state’s maritime infrastructure, port connectivity and shipping-related projects.
The meeting, held at Lok Seva Bhavan, reviewed the action taken on decisions of the Board’s sixth meeting and discussed its reconstitution, human-resource requirements and organisational restructuring. A proposal to merge the Directorate of Ports and Inland Water Transport with the Odisha Maritime Board was also examined, along with the proposed roles and responsibilities of its Chief Executive Officer.
The Board reviewed the progress of the proposed large shipbuilding cluster at Mahakalapada in Kendrapara district and discussed issues related to Gopalpur Port. In view of rising cargo movement, a proposal was considered for a 4.5-km, four-lane greenfield road connecting Gopalpur Port with National Highway-16 near Chhatrapur. The project is proposed to be taken up jointly by the National Highways Authority of India, the state Works Department and Gopalpur Port authorities.
The meeting also stressed the development of container terminals at Dhamra and Gopalpur ports, with land to be identified for container cargo warehouses, customs facilities and multimodal cargo transport centres. Progress of the proposed international cruise terminal near Puri was also reviewed.
Proposals for GIS-based mapping to identify newly emerged coastal land near ports and proposed maritime projects, besides creation of a strategic maritime land bank, were also discussed.
The meeting emphasised coordinated measures to promote Odisha’s maritime economy through expansion of port infrastructure, shipbuilding, cargo transportation and cruise tourism.
Additional Chief Secretary Hemant Sharma, Principal Secretary Shubha Sharma, Principal Secretary N.B.S. Rajput, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Balwant Singh, Principal Secretary Pabitra Mohan Samal and other Board members and senior officials attended the meeting.
