Friday, January 23, 2009

Thiru T.R. Baalu reviews Progress of Projects at Major Ports

The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways Thiru. T.R. Baalu, in a meeting with the Chairmen of all Major Ports, yesterday reviewed the progress of the ongoing projects in all the Major Ports of the country. During the course of the review, the Minister discussed the status of projects vis-à-vis the constraints being faced by the Ports in their implementation. 

Some of the important projects where the work is in full swing are the Rs.1,300-crore Offshore Container Terminal at Mumbai Port, Rs.2,118-crore International Container Transshipment Terminal at Cochin Port, Rs.495-crore Second Container Terminal at Chennai Port, Rs.488-crore Iron Ore Terminal, Rs.399-crore Coal Terminal and Rs.249-crore Marine Liquid Terminal at Ennore Port. The other projects that are in pipeline are the Deep Draft Iron Ore and Coal Terminal at Paradip Port, Stand-Alone Container Handling Facility at Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Second Container Terminal at Tuticorin Port, four Multipurpose Berth Projects at Kandla Port, Iron Ore Terminals at New Mangalore and Mormugao Ports and two Berth Development Projects at a cost of over Rs.150 crores at the Visakhapatnam Port. Capital dredging projects at a cost of Rs.90 crores at Ennore Port and at a cost of Rs.253 crores at Paradip Port are also in progress and are expected to be completed in end-January and end-June this year, respectively. 

The Minister also reviewed the progress of port connectivity projects as well as modernisation and upgradation of equipment projects at all the Major Ports. The draft position at Kolkata Port and Haldia Dock Complex was also discussed. The Chairman, Kolkata Port Trust, informed that with the deployment of seven dredgers, the deterioration of draft at Haldia has been arrested. 

Thiru T.R. Baalu urged all the Port Chairmen to monitor implementation of all the projects to expedite their completion within the stipulated time frame. 

The review meeting was attended by the Chairmen of all Major Ports, Executive Director from the Railways, Secretary, Department of Shipping, besides senior officers of the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways.

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