Kandla, Paradip to start work on smart port cities

Paradip Port Trust has a a land bank of 400-500 acres for the proposed smart city

Having been chosen to lead the government's ambitious smart port city project, Kandla Port Trust (KPT) and Paradip Port Trust (PPT) will invite consultants this month to carry out techno-feasibility studies.

KPT intends to develop 1,500 acres while PPT has plans to develop 400-500 acres. The government wants industries and townships along with wind and solar energy parks around these ports.

Speaking to Business Standard, a senior official in Kandla Port said, "We intend to develop a Smart Industrial Port City (SIPC) within the Kandla, Gandhidham and Adipur Complex located at Gandhidham (Kutch). The objective of hiring a consultant is to prepare a techno-feasibility report."

"We have a land bank of 930 acres in Kandla and 560 acres in Gandhidham. The consultant is likely to submit its report in nine months' time," the official added.

Earlier, Union Minister for Road, Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari had said, "Each major port will construct one smart city with an expenditure of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore." He said the project in Kandla and Gandhidham would serve as a model for other port cities.

On being asked about Paradip Port Trust's plan, a senior official said, "We have a land bank of 400-500 acres for the proposed smart city. We are going to invite consultants to submit their bids by this month." According to officials, the proposed smart port cities will have wide roads, advanced townships, special economic zones and green energy. The ports will also have international benchmarking, ship-breaking and ship-building centres.

The consultant will prepare master plans based on strategies pertaining to development of SIPC. It will also study job creation by industry type and scale of investment in infrastructure.

In addition, it will identify benefits of development of SIPC, including estimation of economic growth targets and sector-specific employment opportunities, particularly for people from economic weaker sections.estimation of economic growth targets sector-specific employment opportunities, particularly for the people from economic weaker sections.