Development plans worth Rs 1235 crore in MPT underway: Baalu

Panaji, Jan 7 (UNI) The Mormugao Port Trust in Goa is undertaking development plans, with an investment of over Rs 1235 crore including additional cargo handling and cruise terminals, Union minister for shipping T R Baalu said today.

Interacting with mediapersons after addressing the 9th Maritime States' Development Council here, the Minister said the port had proposed to build a Rs 35 crore fishing jetty at Veddem near Vasco-da-Gama city besides a container-cum-cruise terminal at Baina Bay.

The fishing jetty would be constructed in collaboration with the union Agriculture ministry and the Mormugao Port Trust. He, however, did not indicate as to when the plans would be realised.

Apart from investing Rs 200 crore for developing West of bay quarters, the MPT will spend Rs 450 crore for developing Vasco Bay for six berths to handle 6 million tonnes of bulk, liquid, container, passengers cruise terminal and off-shore survey facilities.

An additional 5 million iron ore and cargo handling facility with mechanisation at the berth-7 at a cost of Rs 250 crore was also on the anvil. The port handled 34.4 million tonnes of cargo of all sorts during 2006-07.

The minister asked chief minister Digambar Kamat to clear hurdles if any to facilitate the MPT relocate people to be displaced while laying 4-lane road facility to the port.

The work on 5.3 km stretch out of 18.2 km road under the 4-laning project under the National Highway Development Project had been pending completion following some legal hurdles.

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