Maharashtra government exploring two new deepwater greenfield ports in Konkan region
The Maharashtra government is looking to develop two new deepwater greenfield ports in the Konkan region. Greenfield projects are built from scratch and are not constrained by prior work; They do not require reconstruction or demolition of existing structures.
Through its maritime organisation, the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), the state government will launch a study to identify coastal areas near Vijaydurg and Ganeshgule, two coastal towns in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts, respectively.
Benefits of deep water greenfield port
The deepwater greenfield port aims to facilitate and promote economic growth and development of these two regions with logistics facilities and freight rail connectivity. The state also wants to create employment opportunities in sectors outside agriculture and fishing.
Sources said the proposed port would have modern facilities for cargo handling, including container terminals, warehouses and other necessary infrastructure.
For now, a consultant will be appointed to study the feasibility and other details. “The consultant will shortlist a few locations and determine the technical feasibility, financial feasibility, project implementation model, revenue model and financial valuation,” said the source.
Through the study, it will also be determined what type of cargo or goods can be exported and imported from each port, what would be their annual quantity, any potential threats to the projects and its mitigation measures. In addition, road and rail connectivity required to facilitate trade flow will also be analyzed and suggested.
Current Status of Ports in Maharashtra
Presently, the 720 km long state coastline has two major ports – Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. There are 48 minor ports like Dighi, Dabhol, Tarapur, Dahanu, Belapur, Trombay, Kelshi, Bankot, Revdanda, Ratnagiri, Jaigarh.
The in-depth study will take at least six months and the report is likely to be submitted by the end of 2023. A decision will be taken on the basis of the recommendations made.
In the past, new projects proposed in the Konkan region have faced strong political and local opposition; For example, Nanar Oil Refinery and Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant.
To the north of Mumbai, another major port project planned by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority at Wadhavan near Dahanu is also facing local resistance.
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