GANDHIDHAM: The port’s infrastructure upgrade will boost the overall economic growth of the region The Centre is looking to upgrade facilities at the Deendayal Port (DP) in Kandla, Gujarat, and has announced projects worth nearly Rs. 300 crore. This investment under the Sagarmala project is expected to reduce the turnaround time, lead to faster evacuation of cargo while enabling mechanised operations.

“The infrastructure upgrade at DP port will boost its performance and improve overall economic growth for the hinterland and region,” a senior port official said.

Upcoming upgrades    The projects include construction of dome shaped warehouse inside the cargo jetty area entailing a project cost of Rs. 70 crore. The structure has been specially designed to allow extended working height so that there is “more cargo handling capacity”. It will help unload bulk cargo through the use of hydraulics by transport vehicles of fifth generation or larger trucks.

Upgrade of plots and storm-water drains in the cargo jetty area will be taken up at a cost of Rs. 80 crore and include addition of utility services. The area under upgrade will be 66 hectares.

Another 40-odd hectare will be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs. 47 crore and it will include improvement in handling and storage capacity inside the custom bonded area. This will boost import-export of   dry cargo and lead to increase in capacity to 8.8 lakh tonne.

Doubling of two lanes to four lanes inside the port at an estimated Rs. 87 crore will result in faster cargo evacuation. “It will provide better connectivity to the port from the National Highway and give a face-lift to approach roads to the port. The project will also benefit the proposed jetties to be developed by the Deendayal Port Authority on a PPP basis,” a trade source said.

The DP port recorded a growth of 17.22 per cent  cargo handling in the first two quarters of FY23,  to 70.14 million tonnes of cargo.