The Paradip Port got a major infrastructure boost as Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) T.K. Ramachandran made his first visit to the Paradip Port Authority (PPA), where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple key projects worth over Rs. 13 crores.
During his visit, Ramachandran inaugurated the Trauma and Burn Care (TBC) Centre located in the newly constructed annex of the Paradip Port Hospital. This state-of-the-art facility, built at a cost of Rs. 2.90 crores, will offer crucial curative and rehabilitative services to trauma and burn victims in the Paradip region.
Additionally, Ramachandran laid the foundation stone for a new Water Treatment Plant at PPA. This Rs. 10.50 crore project will source raw water from the Taldanda Canal and is designed to filter 16 million litres of water per day. The plant is scheduled for completion by December 2024 and aims to significantly improve the water infrastructure of Paradip Port, ensuring a steady supply of quality drinking water to the Port Township residents.
Ramachandran conducted a comprehensive review of PPA's operations, interacting with the Heads and Deputy Heads of Departments. He inspected various port facilities, including the Mechanised Coal Handling Plant, Twin Wagon Tipplers at JSWPTPL, and KICT silos, suggesting system improvements to enhance productivity.
The Secretary proposed several measures to boost the overall performance of port operations. These recommendations are expected to increase capacity and streamline workflow, contributing to the long-term growth and success of Paradip Port.
Paradip Port, located in Odisha, is the highest cargo handling major port in India. In the financial year 2023-24, PPA achieved a remarkable milestone by handling 145.38 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo throughput.
Looking ahead, Paradip Port aims to significantly increase its handling capacity to 10,000 MTPA by 2047, aligning with Vision 2047. Plans for this ambitious goal will be detailed soon, with avenues for private participation under consideration. All Indian ports are preparing master plans to transform into mega ports by 2047, focusing on infrastructure improvement, reduced turnaround times, and enhanced handling capacities.
This vision surpasses the targets set by the ongoing Sagarmala programme, which aims to boost port capacity by 800 MMTPA to a total of 3,500 MMTPA by 2035. As part of the Sagarmala initiative, over 800 projects with an estimated cost of Rs. 5.5 lakh crore have been identified for implementation from 2015 to 2035.
In the nearer term, the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 aims to develop global standard ports in India, with projected investments of Rs. 1-1.25 lakh crore for capacity augmentation and infrastructure development at Indian ports.
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