THOOTHUKUDI: The Central government will take all efforts to transform VO Chidambaranar Port into the transhipment hub in the east coast of India by developing the Outer Harbour Project, said Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal while inaugurating a slew of projects the port on Friday.
In the presence of VOC Port Chairman TK Ramachandra and Collector Dr K Senthil Raj, the union minister inaugurated the upgraded coal yard road and drainage system, renovated at a cost of Rs 16 crore, Fixed Fire Fighting System at Oil Jetty, established at a cost of Rs 18.79 crore, 22 KV HT Electrical Network that was strengthened at a cost of Rs 1.15 crore, Optic Fibre connectivity worth Rs 1.15 crore, and Ease of Doing Business projects, Drive through Container Scanner and 140 MT Electronic in-motion Weigh Bridge installed by spending Rs 46.51 crore and Vessel Traffic System developed at the cost of Rs 2.29 crore.
Some of the green initiatives unveiled by the minister include 100% Conversion into LED Lights, Induction of e-cars, 140 KW Solar Roof Top Solar Power Plant and a medical oxygen generator plant. Addressing the gathering, Sonowal said the union government is taking all efforts to reduce the logistics costs in order to achieve its well-defined goal of a $5 Trillion economy by 2025. The inclusive green port initiatives taken forward by the VOC Port will set standards across all major ports by increasing the share of renewable energy by more than 60% by 2030.
On launching India's first indigenously developed Vessel Traffic System, Sonowal said it would eliminate dependency on proprietary and expensive foreign-made software solutions. The minister also laid the foundation stones for Tuticorin SPEEDZ (Coastal Employment Unit) land for development of port-based Industries in an area of 1300 acres envisaged at a cost of Rs 100 crore, inner harbour development project for widening of the port entrance and dredging the widened portion pegged at a total cost of Rs 65.53 crore, and green port projects like 2 MW Wind Farm, 400 KW Solar Roof Top Solar Power Plant, Public EV Charging Stations estimated at a total cost of Rs 26.93 crore, integrative medicine & AYUSH unit and VOC maritime heritage museum at a total cost of Rs 1.78 crore.