Port projects worth 50K cr in pipeline: Shipping Secy

The Centre has lined up 35 projects for the port sector under public-private-partnership (PPP), entailing investments of around Rs 50,000 crore.
"We already have about 45 running projects, 35 projects are in pipeline with about Rs 50,000 crore investment," Shipping Secretary Rajive Kumar said International Summit on 'Infrastructure Finance- Bridging the Gap' by Assocham here.
Kumar said that unlike power and highways, PPP projects in the ports sectors have seen comparatively fewer constraints related to equity and investments.
"We were able to attract foreign players and therefore some of the constraints like equity and others which the road sector and the power sectors are facing are not there. We already have a substantial private investment in ports Port sector has done comparatively better," he said.

He said the Prime Minister recently laid foundation of the fourth terminal of the Jawaharl Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), one of India's major ports to double its capacity with almost about Rs 8,000 crore investment.
"It is a matter of great pride given the different projection of the economic growth we expect that the port capacity would be sufficient to handle that capacity," he said.

Kumar said the government has taken several initiatives to develop the sector including Sagarmala project as well as setting up of Indian Port Rail Connectivity Company, exclusively to take care of the last mile connectivity of ports .

"By mid January or February we will have national perspective plan ready for Sagarmala project," he said.
The Secretary said the government is keen on promoting waterways and plans are afoot to convert 106 river stretches into waterways.
Besides, the government will ensure that all obsolete laws are phased out, he said adding in the next six months it will simplify the complex and obsolete rules and regulations in Acts like Major Ports Act, Merchant Shipping Act etc.
On Cabotage relaxation, he said the government has resorted to a gradual approach.