Marine college project seeks Nitish intervention

Mumbai-based investor urges CM Nitish Kumar to intervene, whose marine college project failed to take off despite clearing all paper work for more than a year

A Mumbai-based investor has urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to intervene, whose marine college project failed to take off despite clearing all paper work for more than a year.

Pentagon Marine Services Pvt Limited claims to have cleared all paper work for setting up a marine college at Bihta in Patna district near the new campus of IIT but has been denied physical possession of ten acres of land provided by the state government for the project so far.

"Despite fulfilling all paper works with BIADA (Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority), we have not being provided physical possession of the ten acres of land adjacent to the new campus of IIT in Bihta due to which we have not been able to start the project of setting up a marine college," Nalin Pandey, Chairman and Managing Director of Pentagon Marine Services told reporters.

"We had got attracted to invest in Bihar following an appeal of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. But, such unnecessary delays create disillusionment," he said.

"It's good that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is coming here to inaugurate the new campus of IIT at Bihta. But, what about 29 other projects like us in the area?" Pandey asked.

"Many British-Asian investors are keen to invest in Bihar. But, the investors will lose faith in Bihar if land was not delivered on time by the local government to many entrepreneurs like me. These investors will shift their projects to other states and it will be bad luck for Bihar," Pandey said.