Dhamra port signs agreement with railways

The Dhamra Port Company Limited (DPCL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), has signed a commercial agreement with the railway ministry, a release said on Monday.

The agreement was signed at East Coast Railway (ECoR) headquarters here.

The agreement accords the status of Non-Government Railways (NGR) to DPCL under the Indian Railway Act, 1989. This is the first of its kind NGR status granted in Odisha and only the second one across India, said the DPCL release.

The agreement was signed by DPCL chief executive officer Subrat Tripathy, and chief commercial manager of ECoR (freight service) P.C. Sahu.

NGR Policy promulgated by the central government is a recent concept by which Indian Railways encourages its strategic partners like port and industries to invest in creating additional railway infrastructure so that the connectivity to hinterland can be extended to major railway network.

DPCL, with help from the Odisha government, opted for the scheme and constructed 62.5 km of railway line.

This is the longest ever non-government railway system constructed by any private organisation, said the release.

Dhamra Port is expecting to increase its capacity to more than 100 million metric tonne (MMT) per annum within a few years by doubling the railway line and completing its second phase of expansion, the release added.

Through the railway network, Dhamra Port would be able to connect the major portion of Bhadrak district with national railway network.