At Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s behest, a high-level officials’ team led by Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy and comprising 5T Secretary VK Pandian and Special Secretary, Commerce & Transport Manoj Mishra visited the proposed Mahanadi riverine port site here on Sunday.
The officers travelled to the site by a vessel of the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) together with PPT Chairman Rinkesh Roy and other officials. Mahakalpada MLA Atanu Sabyaschi Nayak was present at the site and had discussion with officials about the project.
Kendrapada district Collector Samartha Verma also participated in the discussion Notably, the Ministry of Port, Shipping & Waterways has agreed to the State Government’s proposal for a riverine port to be developed by PPT, for which an MoU with the State Government is under finalisation, officials said.
The port would come up at Akhadasali village under Mahakalpada block in Kendrapada district, 13 km from the Mahanadi river mouth at Paradip.This all-weather and multi-user port on the Mahanadi would be set up in PPP mode with a capacity of 54 MTPA at an estimated cost of Rs 4,062 crore, of which 22-MTPA capacity would be created in the first phase at a cost of Rs 2,562 crore.
The PPT would develop supporting project infrastructures like rail and road connectivity and dredging requirements of the port. The State Government has identified 300 hectares of land for the project. The State Government would also provide necessary support to the PPT in respect of any additional land required for the project.
In 2018, the State Government had decided to go ahead with a Mahanadi riverine port, for which an RFQ was issued. However, the project couldn’t progress due to lack of interest by potential bidders. The PPT then evinced interest in the project; and consequently, an MoU is proposed to be signed with the State Government.When it is commissioned, the port would provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to more than 4,000 persons in the first phase and about another 1,700 in the second phase.
The riverine port, along with the State-aided Haridaspur-Paradip railway line, is expected to substantially boost the economy of the Kendrapada district.