NEW DELHI:Located in southern Gujarat, Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Dahej has attracted more investments than the other three notified PCPIRs in India.In the last one year alone, it attracted investment of over Rs 25,000 crore and it hopes to continue the momentum in future as top domestic and global companies have proposed to invest in the region.
Officials at Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) expect that the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat summit will boost investment proposal in the state.To cater to the growing number of companies, officials are working on an expansion spree. The state government has proposed setting up of a logistic park at an estimated area of 72 hectares to meet the cargo and warehousing needs of the region. Gujarat has already given the logistics sector industry status to boost investment in the sector as the state is at the conjuncture point of some of India’s biggest infrastructure projects — Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor and Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train, to name a few.
While at present, the PCPIR is spread over an area of 453 sq km, the Gujarat government is planning to acquire nearly 4,000 acres of additional land in Dahej.A senior GIDC official said that they rarely face any obstruction from landholders (mainly farmers) as they give them a very healthy compensation beside other perks — something quite contradictory to the land acquisition issues going on in case of the bullet train project.
In terms of improving its connective to international market, the authorities have proposed building 40 MMTPA ports by the controversial Sandesara Group. The group is allegedly accused of siphoning off Rs 5,000 crore through bank loans by forming nearly 300 shell companies.Further, there is a Marine Shipbuilding Park proposal by GMB, who is also investing Rs 250 crore in Ro-Ro Ferry Service and Common User Jetty.
Gujarat Chemical Port Terminal, the commercial port which is a joint venture of Reliance Industries Ltd, GIDC and five other players, is also in its initial stage of adding one more jetty to facilitate movement of goods in larger quantities.
At present, the port is capable of handling vessels of 6,000-60,000 DWT. Similarly, to cut dependence on Narmada River for water, GIDC has proposed setting up desalination plants and water recycling units.
(Disclaimer: The journalist was at Dahej at the invitation of Government of Gujarat.)