Odisha Government announced its plan to set up a riverine portin Akhadasali

Bhubaneswar:28/7/18; The State government today announced its plan to set up a riverine port in Public-private partnership (PPP) mode in Akhadasali village under Mahakalpada block of Kendrapara district.

The coastal district is incidentally bereft of industrial and railway infrastructure. Earlier the the government had planned establishing a port at Barunei under Rajnagar tehsil. But that had to be shelved as the port project failed to get environment clearance because of its proximity to Gahirmatha nesting ground of Olive Ridley sea turtles.

The port project will require 300 hectares of land. If everything goes the right way, the riverine port project will generated 15,000 employment both in a direct and indirect way, said officials.

The port will be set up in two phases. In the first phase two berths would be established at Rs 2,110 crore for transportation of 14.83 million ton cargo per annum.

The requirement of land for the first phase development of the port is estimated at 175 hactares. This port will be connected to national highway no- 5 (A) and Haridaspur-Paradip rail line for transportation of cargo.

The cargo handling capacity will increase from 14.83 million ton per annum to 45.88 million ton per annum for which additional 125 hactares of land will be required for the second phase development of the proposed port.