Fredrick Harris To Draw Up Plan For Chennai Port

The project cost of $750,000 will be funded almost entirely by ADB with Chennai port contributing a mere $66,000.

Madras Port Trust is also holding talks with another US major, Wallenius, for the setting up of a RO-RO terminal to serve car manufacturers headed for the state.

Besides foreign companies like Mitsubishi, Ford and Hyundai, several domestic car manufacturers are likely to use the facility. They include TAFE and Ashok Leyland.

Chennai is already the port of choice of DCM-Daewoo. The port authorities are lobbying hard to attain a similar status in the case of Maruti.

The terms of reference of the study include an estimate of the present and potential growth of regional and international shipping with reference to the Indian domestic market, a forecast of the demand for port facilities upto 2015 and assessment of the use of intended facilities and development constraints.

Fredrick Harris will draw up a concept master plan, carry out a multi-criterial analysis which will include economic assessment and draw up alternative strategies for various demand scenarios for the port and its facilities. It will also suggest appropriate ways of raising funds.

The study will also cover building of linkages with the hinterland. For example, the concept of elevated roadways to move goods from the port to the premises of the actual user is being seriously considered.

In Mumbai, the movement of goods to the hinterland is so troublesome that further growth of the port is being obstructed. To avoid such a situation, the master plan will consider the viability and costs of alternative ways of moving goods to the hinterland.

At Ennore, where ADB is investing Rs 450 crore out of a total cost of Rs 670 crore, the consultant has been asked to suggest ways of integrating the activities of the two ports. Once Ennore becomes operational and takes away Chennai s dirty cargo business, the latter will lose almost two-thirds of its existing business.