| The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SGCCI), the apex body representing the trade and industry of the region, has called for developing a seaport in Surat.
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| “Surat, the hub of diamond & textile industries, has been ranked as the fastest growing city in the country. Surat’s textiles and diamonds account for a considerable share of the country’s total exports. The presence of Hazira belt, which is home to several corporate houses, and the huge industries in other cities nearer to the region, enhance the export potential of Surat,” Dilip Chasmawala, the president of SGCCI, told Business Standard.
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| Chasmawala said that Surat used to be a major port on the western coast of the country in the past. He said the seaport could play a very important role in further development of industries in Surat.
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| He said he hoped the Central government would initiate steps to develop a port in the city at the earliest. The chamber’s vice-president Pravin Nanavati said a seaport would get large volumes of captive cargo from corporates as well as pushing up trade and industry in the Surat region. It would be able to get cargo from land-locked states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
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| Keeping these issues in mind, the government should give serious thought to developing the seaport, he said.
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| Echoing similar views, a high-ranking official of a Hazira-based corporate said, “A seaport in Surat could work as a very powerful hub to reduce the burden on Nanaseva and Kandla ports”.
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| The seaport in Surat would also reduce the dependence on Mumbai port for exports. This would also reduce the transportation costs and hence benefit the local industries, said local traders. |
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