The Hindu Business Line : Vallarpadam project to be completed on time

The Union Shipping Minister, Mr T.R. Baalu, has stated that the environmental clearance for the Rs 2,118-crore Vallarpadam Container Transhipment Terminal project has been obtained last week and the project would be completed on time.

The Minister, who was here to dedicate the 300-tonne gantry crane at Cochin Shipyard Ltd, said that there were no more roadblocks for the project and the Government had given sanction for the proposed road connecting the terminal area with the National Highway. The Department of Environment has given the final permission for the road, which was the only hindrance to starting the construction, he said.

Shipbuilding, repair hubs

Referring to the two shipbuilding and repair hubs planned by the Ministry on the East and West coast, the Minister said that Ennore and Mumbai Port Trusts had been made the nodal agencies for locating the spots. These agencies would call for expression of interest soon from various players for setting up these yards. Even Cochin Shipyard could bid for setting up the facility, he said, adding that competing among themselves would make the Indian shipyards better and more efficient.

The Minister pointed out that the Ministry had envisaged nearly Rs1 lakh crore of investments in the Port and Ship building sectors. The ports sector envisaged an investment to the tune of Rs 55,000 crore in 276 projects by 2011-12. In the shipbuilding and repair sector, the Government envisaged an investment to the tune of Rs 45,000 crore by 2025 in 111 projects.

Later, the Minister reviewed the progress of various developmental projects of Cochin Port Trust. The Shipping Secretary, Mr A.K. Mohapatra; the Port Chairman, Mr N. Ramachandran, and other senior officers of the port attended the meeting.

Development projects

Under the National Maritime Development Programme, the port has initiated ambitious developmental projects such as container transhipment terminal, port based SEZ, LNG re-gasification project, bunkering terminal, rail and National Highway connectivity to Vallarpadam, ship repair facility, SBM project, cruise terminal etc.

ICTT project at Vallarpadam has been progressing as per schedule and the India Gateway Terminal has already conducted soil inspection, test piling and studies on shipping moorings at the site. It is expected that IGT will finalise the drawings and designs in consultation with the port before October. The construction of the terminal is expected to be commenced by January 2007 and to be completed by January 2009.

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