On the first day of his two days visit to Chennai, Shri
Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways,
Government of India, unveiled 4 infrastructure projects of over Rs. 187
crores which includes two infrastructure projects of Chennai Port Authority
totaling approx. Rs. 78 crores and two infrastructure projects at Kamarajar
Port Limited totaling over Rs. 109 crores.
The Key highlights of the 4 projects are mentioned below -
1.
Chennai Port Project: Laid Foundation Stone for the Construction
of 4 numbers of EXIM Godowns and development of concrete roads around the
EXIM Godowns at an estimated cost of Rs. 73.91 crores. This Project aims
to meet the growing demand for Covered storage areas inside Chennai Port and
ensure safe and secure cargo storage area for port’s EXIM trade partners.
2.
Chennai Port Project: Dedication of Coastal Road, a
300 meters long eastern peripheral road inside Chennai Port build at a cost of
approximately Rs. 4 crores. This road significantly improves cargo evacuation,
especially for coastal cargo and containers from the second international
container terminal at Chennai Port, leading to faster turnaround time of
trailers & trucks.
3.
Kamarajar Port Project: Inaugurated Doubling of Southern
Railway Connectivity, developed at a cost of Rs. Rs 88.91 crores, this
project will double the rake handling capacity of KPL from 22 rakes/day to 44
rakes/day and support connectivity needs of future capacity addition projects
at the port.
4.
Kamarajar Port Project: Inaugurated Shore Power Supply
Facility for Coal Berth 1 and Coal Berth 2. The facility is established at
a cost of Rs. 20.51 crores and is a bold step towards sustainable port
practices and which will reduce the GHG gas emission of the vessels while at
berth by supplying shore electric power to ships instead of vessel generating
electricity onboard by burning fossil fuels.
Chennai Port Event: Hon’ble Union Minister paid tribute to
the great mathematician, Late Srinivasa Ramanujam, an employee of then Madras
Port Trust, by renaming the ‘Clive Battery Quarters’ of Chennai Port as
‘Ramanujam Quarters’. This also aligns with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s
Panch Pran initiatives and underscores port’s commitment to remove traces of
the colonial mindset.