Bhubaneswar: TK Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), made his maiden visit to the Paradip Port Authority (PPA) and inaugurated several significant projects worth over Rs. 13 crores.
During his visit, Ramachandran inaugurated the Trauma and Burn Care (TBC) Centre in the newly constructed annex building of the Paradip Port Hospital. The TBC Centre, built at a cost of Rs. 2.90 crores, will offer crucial curative and rehabilitative services for trauma and burn victims in and around Paradip.
In addition, Ramachandran laid the foundation stone for a new Water Treatment Plant at PPA. This project, with a budget of Rs. 10.50 crores, will source raw water from the Taldanda Canal and is designed to filter 16 million litres of water per day. The plant is expected to be completed by December 2024, significantly enhancing the water infrastructure of Paradip Port and providing quality drinking water to the residents of the Port Township.
Ramachandran also reviewed the functioning of PPA and held interactions with Heads of Departments and Deputy Heads of Departments. He inspected port operations, planning, and expansion activities at the Mechanized Coal Handling Plant, Twin Wagon Tipplers at JSWPTPL, and KICT silos. He recommended system improvements aimed at boosting productivity and efficiency at the port.
During his visit, the Secretary proposed several measures to enhance the overall performance of port operations. These recommendations are expected to increase capacity and streamline workflow, contributing to the long-term growth and success of Paradip Port.
Paradip Port, located in Odisha, holds the distinction of being the highest cargo-handling major port in India. In the financial year 2023-24, PPA achieved the highest cargo throughput by handling 145.38 million metric tonnes (MMT).
Under Vision 2047, the goal is to increase the port’s handling capacity to 10,000 MTPA. Detailed plans will be outlined soon, with avenues for private participation under consideration. All ports are preparing master plans to become mega ports by 2047. Enhancing port infrastructure, reducing turnaround times, and increasing handling capacity are central to achieving the 2047 target.
This ambitious target surpasses the goals set under the ongoing Sagarmala programme, which aims to boost port capacity by 800 MMTPA to a total of 3,500 MMTPA by 2035. As part of the Sagarmala programme, more than 800 projects, estimated at Rs. 5.5 lakh crore, have been identified for implementation from 2015 to 2035.
In the nearer term, the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 aims to develop global standard ports in India, with estimated investments of Rs. 1-1.25 lakh crore for capacity augmentation and infrastructure development at Indian ports.
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