During his visit to Paradip Port Authority (PPA) in Odisha on Monday, the Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for several key developmental projects totaling more than Rs 13 crore.
The Secretary inaugurated the Trauma and Burn Care (TBC) Centre in the newly constructed annex building of Paradip Port Hospital. This center, built at a cost of Rs 2.90 crore, is set to offer comprehensive curative and rehabilitative services for trauma and burn victims in and around Paradip, according to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
Additionally, the Secretary laid the foundation stone for PPA’s Water Treatment Plant. This Rs 10.50 crore project, designed to filter 16 million liters of water per day, will source raw water from the Taldanda Canal. Scheduled for completion by December 2024, the plant aims to enhance Paradip Port’s water infrastructure and provide high-quality drinking water to the residents of Port Township.
During his visit, the Secretary reviewed the operations of the PPA and engaged with department heads and deputies. He conducted inspections and evaluations of port operations, planning, and expansion efforts at the Mechanized Coal Handling Plant, Twin Wagon Tipplers at JSWPTPL, and KICT silos. He suggested various system improvements to boost productivity and efficiency.
The Secretary proposed several measures to enhance overall port performance, with the goal of increasing capacity and streamlining workflow, thus contributing to the long-term growth and success of Paradip Port.
Paradip Port, the highest cargo-handling major port in India, managed 145.38 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo throughput in the 2023-24 financial year. Under Vision 2047, the port aims to increase its handling capacity to 10,000 MTPA (million metric tons per annum), with plans for private participation currently being explored.
All Indian ports are preparing master plans to transform into mega ports by 2047. These plans focus on improving infrastructure and facilities, reducing turnaround time, and increasing handling capacity to meet future demands.
This new goal surpasses the targets set by the ongoing Sagarmala programme, which aims to boost port capacity by 800 MMTPA, bringing the total to 3,500 MMTPA by 2035. As part of the Sagarmala programme, over 800 projects worth an estimated Rs 5.5 lakh crore have been identified for implementation from 2015 to 2035.
Additionally, the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 aims to develop ports in India to global standards, with estimated investments ranging from Rs 1-1.25 lakh crore for capacity augmentation and infrastructure development at Indian ports.