Port set for major makeover

The Union Ministry of Shipping said that projects worth Rs 10,000 crore will be taken at the Chennai Port in different stages.

The proposed investments includes connectivity projects, container terminal and others. After laying foundation stone for the Rs 600 crore Chennai port Ennore road connectivity project, G K Vasan, Union Minister for Shipping,

Government of India said that 29 projects, with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore will be taken at the Chennai Port in various stages.

“Most of these investments, will come from private players,” said the Minister. These projects include new mega container terminal, RO-RO terminal and others.

The Minister said, once the projects are completed, Port’s capacity will be increased to 140 million tonnes, in the next ten years, from the current 61 million tonnes. Commenting about the EMRIP project, the minister said, the project will be completed in the next two years.

Of the total project cost Rs 250 crore will be contributed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Rs 250 crore by Chennai Port Trust, Rs 58.20 crore by Tamil Nadu government and rest by Ennore Port Ltd.

A SPV has been floated to execute the project, said the Minister.

The Ennore Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP), which was conceived in 1998 and has been under implementation for the last 10 years. The project envisages improvement of 30 kms road network in north Chennai which connects all the container freight station (CFS).