Waterway

New Delhi, Dec 1 (UNI) The Centre has approved introduction of a bill in Parliament for declaring the 1095-km-long Kakinada-Pondicherry Canal, integrated with the Godavari and Krishna rivers, as the third National Waterway.

This was announced by Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister T R Baalu at an interactive meeting with MPs from Tamil Nadu here last evening.

At the meeting, various port and shipping sector projects in South India, especially related to Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, were discussed.

Mr Baalu said 24 projects, envisaging investment of Rs 4,571 crore, for the Tuticorin Port and 14 projects for the Chennai Port, involving an estimated expenditure of Rs 2,247 crore, have been approved under the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP).

In addition, another 14 projects at a cost of Rs 6,466 crore for the Ennore Port had also been identified, he said.

The minister appreciated the plans of Tuticorin Port for the development of a second container terminal and outer harbour.

The MPs were apprised of the recent award of second container terminal at a cost of Rs 492 crore to PSA Sical at the Chennai Port, the award of the Marine Liquid Terminal at a cost of Rs 200 crore, a coal terminal at a cost of Rs 350 crore and an iron ore terminal at an expenditure of Rs 500 crore at the Ennore Port.

Mr Baalu said plans were also discussed for development of a dedicated elevated expressway at Chennai and acontainer terminal at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore at Ennore.

During the meeting, Mr Baalu also reviewed the progress of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project (SCCP). He informed that a Coastal Community Development Programme had been taken up by the Sethusamundram Corporation Ltd.

He said a sum of Rs 60 crore had been earmarked for Alternative Livelihood Opportunities Programme for the SSCP. This allocation would be used for livelihood opportunities training programmes, educational assistance for children of BPL families, creation of micro-infrastructure in coastal villages, assistance for developing fishing harbours at Muthupet, Sethubhavachatram, Thondi and Mookayur, and a multi-purpose port at Rameswaram, besides in initiating studies for expansion of Nagapattinam port and development of Colachel Port.

UNI/SKS SRS KP1948