Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly reiterating his commitment towards the development of infrastructure in the country. PM Narendra Modi says that a strong infrastructure is necessary in the country for the process of development to flow at a fast pace. The central government led by PM Narendra Modi is laying a network of roads in the country for the development of infrastructure in the country and is also improving airports including railways and airways. Along with this, the Modi government is also taking forward the policy of promoting transportation through waterways in the country. In this series, the government has taken one more step towards the construction of the proposed International Container Transshipment Port in Great Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal.
The government has finalized the detailed project report of this commercially and strategically very important project. Environmental clearance has also been received from the National Green Tribunal for the construction of the port. It is worth noting that 41 thousand crore rupees will be spent on this entire proposed project. Its first phase is expected to be completed by the year 2028. With the construction of the Great Nicobar Trans Shipment Port, all the giant ships will also be able to come directly to India with goods. Till now big ships come to Colombo port of Sri Lanka, Singapore and Kalong port of Malaysia. Then from there the goods are loaded in small ships and brought to India.
This project will benefit from
The Great Nicobar Port project aims to facilitate transshipment of containers between different ports. The proposed ICTP at Galathea Bay on Great Nicobar Island is strategically located just 40 nautical miles from the international shipping trade route. About 75 per cent of India’s transshipped cargo is handled at foreign ports. That is, goods coming to India in large ships first come to ports like Colombo, Singapore and Klang. From there it then comes to India in smaller ships. Currently, these three ports handle 85 per cent of India’s transshipped cargo.
Colombo port alone manages 45 percent of India’s transshipped cargo. Along with this, Great Nicobar Port will be able to handle 16 million containers every year. Its first phase will be operational by 2028 at a cost of Rs 18000 crore. The first phase will have the capacity to handle more than 40 lakh containers. There is also a plan to set up an airport, a township and a power plant around the transshipment port. With the construction of ICTP, India’s dependence on foreign ports for transshipment of large cargo will be reduced. The cost of import and export of goods will be reduced and time will also be saved.
41 thousand crore rupees will be spent
The cost of the Great Nicobar International Container Transshipment Port is Rs 41000 crore. A senior official had claimed a few days ago that the work on the project would start in a few months. Talking to PTI, T K Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said, “The project has received environmental clearance from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and now there is no obstacle in its implementation.”
BJP’s youth leader Manoj Yadav claims that during the tenure of Modi government, the infrastructure and transport system in the country is improving. Manoj Yadav says that during the tenure of Modi government, special emphasis has been given to water transport. Manoj Yadav says that for this, while water transport has been promoted for the movement of passengers and goods in the rivers within the country, the ports in the sea routes of the country have also been strengthened. Under this, we should understand the construction and development of Greater Nicobar port.
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 12, 2024, 17:48 IST
