BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday chalked out a blue print for port-led development in Paradip under Sagarmala project. Chairing a meeting on port led development in Paradip region in News Delhi, Gadkari stressed on rapid improvement in infrastructure facilities in and around Paradip port to realise its full potential.
The meeting, attended by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur, decided implementation of projects like 8-laning of NH 53 from Chandikhole to Paradip and further extension to Joda, 4-laning of State Highway 12 from Paradip to Cuttack and conversion of NH53A, Digha-Gopalpur coastal highway via Paradip and Haridaspur-Paradip rail line.
“The grand vision of the port region will remain incomplete without an airport at Paradip as the nearest airport at Bhubaneswar is 135 km away and takes more than 3 hours on road,” Pradhan said.
The meeting discussed on 40 projects including several modernisation and expansion of Paradip port which are estimated to cost about Rs 91,000 crore, he said.
Several other projects such as development of plastic park, wood park, food processing units, multi-modal logistic park, pellet plant, and NRL (Naval Research Laboratory) are also being taken up by Paradip Port Trust.
Paraip Port is one of 12 major ports under the administrative control of the Centre which handled cargo of more than 100 million tonnes last year.
The Centre has also declared Paradip Port as a Smart Industrial Port City (SIPC) and the region is fast emerging as a major industrial hub in eastern India. Pradhan on Tuesday wrote to Union Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu for setting up an airport at Paradip.