L&T's Rs 4,000 crore ship yard to commence operations soon

Company will set up a training institute in the next three months and the daily wage will be increased by Rs 20-30 from the current Rs 206

Works to commence operation of construction major L&T's around Rs 4,000 crore port-cum-ship building project near Chennai is in the final stage, said the Tamil Nadu Government, which did not give its nod for the project, which was ready in March 2012.

The announcement comes after the company held talks with the state government officials last week for two days and agreed that it will take more fishermen on Board.

In a statement today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said that L&T representatives have held talks with the State Ministers and government officials on January 1 and 2 and the company has agreed that it will take steps to protect fishermen livelihood, who are living in and around the facility. The Chief Minister also said construction the ship building facility and port is in the final stage.

The Chief Minister statement added that earlier the company has agreed to give jobs for 220 fishermen, and later during DMK regime it was agreed to take another 850 people, however, it did not happen.

Meanwhile, after the AIADMK government took charge, the company gave jobs to 131 people in the months of February and June last year and now the company has agreed to give jobs for another 120 people, of which 60 will be employeed directly and another 60 will be employeed after training.

It was also stated that L&T will set up a training institute in the next three months and the daily wage will be increased by Rs 20-30 from the current Rs 206.

It may be noted, in September 2012, L&T Kattupalli Port received amended notification from the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for unloading of imported goods and loading of export goods or any class of such goods. Though L&T Kattupalli Port is ready since March 2912, it is yet to get the nod from State government to commence its container services.

Official sources said, the Commissionerate of Chennai Customs inspected the Container Freight Station (CFS) located inside the Kattupalli port and had given their nod. The container services will commence soon towards Singapore and Malaysia, said an official.

The Rs 4,000-crore project is being set up jointly by L&T and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) in two phases on a 1,200-acre of land at Kattupalli, about 35-40 kilometers from Chennai, through ‘L&T Shipbuilding Limited' (LTSB), for developing a minor port and building specialised ship, along with a repair unit.