Rs 92K Cr Investment Plan For ‘Smart Industrial Port City’ Paradip: Dharmendra Pradhan

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: A total of Rs 92,000 crore will be earmarked for infrastructure development involving 40 projects in Paradip, said Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday.

Following a meeting chaired by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on development of Paradip and nearby areas in New Delhi, Dharmendra said, “Steps for creating standard infrastructure and business ecosystem in Paradip were discussed. It has been decided to set up an airport, a 400-bed hospital and develop Paradip as a Smart Industrial Port City (SIPC).”

Paradip Port is one of the 12 major ports of India and last year it emerged as one of the three ports in the country to have handled cargo of more than 100 million tonnes. The central government has declared Paradip Port as a SIPC, particularly after commissioning of the 15 MMTPA capacity oil refinery.

Dharmendra stressed that the grand vision for the port region would remain incomplete without an airport at Paradip, as the nearest airport at Bhubaneswar is 135 km away and takes more than 3 hours by road.

“An amount of Rs 16.637 crore will be spent on seven different projects meant for modernization of Paradip Port. Similarly, a sum of Rs 13.690 crore will be invested on another nine developmental projects. Besides, an amount of Rs 55.550 crore will be invested on development of eight port-based industrialisation projects and an estimated Rs 4.793 crore towards 10 projects in the coastal areas,” he added.

During the course of the meeting, it was decided that the vision for development of Paradip can be realized by implementation of projects like 8-laning of NH 53 from Chandikhole to Paradip and further extension to Joda area, 4-laning of SH12 from Paradip to Cuttack and conversion to NH53A, construction of Digha-Gopalpur coastal highway via Paradip, early completion of Haridaspur-Paradiprailway line, 80 MLD Tarpurpipeline project, official sources said.

Gadkari said to realize its full potential and be an example of port led growth, Paradip Port would need to rapidly improve its infrastructure facilities with cooperation from National Highways Authority of India, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, Airports Authority of India, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and the Ministry of Fertilizers & Chemicals.

Besides the above mentioned projects, Paradip Port Trust is implementing several capacity expansion projects namely development of New Coal Berth and Iron Berth on BOT basis, Mechanization Of EQ-1, 2, 3 berths on BOT basis, development of multipurpose berth, expansion of Inner Harbour and development of Western Dock. Several other projects such as development of plastic park, wood park, food processing units, multi modal logistics park, pellet plant and NRL tanking facilities are also being taken up by Paradip Port Trust.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing, was attended the meeting.

However, no representative from Odisha was present despite invitation.