The Government on Wednesday approved a Rs1,439-crore project for mechanisation of three berths at Paradip port on public private partnership (PPP) basis. “The Government has approved mechanisation of three berths at Paradip Port for handling of thermal coal, at an expenditure of Rs1,438 crore on BOT (build, operate,transfer) mode under PPP,” Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari told reporters. Gadkari said after completion of the project, the port can handle export of 50 million tonnes of coal.