The Hindu Business Line : Baalu calls for better connectivity between ports and hinterlands

THE KERALA CHIEF MINISTER, Mr V.S.Achuthananthan (right), and the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, at the function to mark the beginning of construction activities of the port connectivity project at Vallarpadam on Friday. - K.K. Mustafah

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Kochi Feb. 9 The Central and State Governments should work hand-in-hand for setting up infrastructure facilities prior to the capacity expansion of major ports in the country, the Union Shipping Minister, Mr T.R. Baalu, has said.

The future aim is to create better connectivity between ports and hinterlands as the Government plans to invest $60 billion in the ports and road sector before 2011, the Minister said on the occasion of the commencement of construction activities of the port connectivity projects of Vallarpadam Container Transhipment Terminal here on Friday.

According to Mr Baalu, the capacity of major ports and minor ports at present is 600 million tonnes (mt) and this would be increased to 1,000 mt by 2009 and later to 1,500 mt by the end of the eleventh Five Year Plan. To achieve the capacity of 1,000 mt, there is a need to set up more ports all over the country.

Regarding the proposal of Vizhinjam port by the State Government, the Minister said that Vizhinjam would also contribute its share in the capacity expansion of ports. He clarified that the project will come through and there is no stumbling block in the implementation of the project.

Connectivity projects

Referring to the Vallarpadam connectivity projects, the Shipping Minister said that the 17.5-km long 4-lane highway connectivity would be commissioned by April 2009, by which time the main container terminal would be ready for operation. The 8.5-km long rail connectivity would also be completed before April 2009.

The Shipping Ministry has sanctioned Rs 25 crore as part of providing financial support to the rail connectivity project, he added.

Later launching the construction activities, the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan said that the State Government would expedite steps on a war footing to complete the construction activities in the set time frame considering the importance of the project.

The road and rail infrastructure created for this project will also support a string of other related projects such as the LNG Terminal and Bunkering Terminal, which is set to change the face of Kochi city, he said.

Mr P.K. Mohapatra, the Shipping Secretary, said that the international container transhipment terminal at Vallarpadam is an example of private investment in the country for public purpose.

The major ports in the country need to attract huge private investment to build up 2-billion-tonne capacity at the end of the twelfth Plan.

To achieve this, a major share has to be contributed by the private sector and there is a need for more public-private participation in implementing huge projects, he said.

The Cochin Port Trust Chairman, Mr N. Ramachandran, said that the construction activities for the road and rail connectivity has commenced two months ahead of schedule as it is the most important pre-requisite of DP World - the container terminal operator in Kochi port - before the construction of the main container terminals at Vallarpadam.

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