Cargo-handling
capacity pegged at 3.5 million tonne with construction of one berth initially
The
first phase of Gopalpur port being developed by Gopalpur Port Ltd is likely to
be completed by March, 2013, an official said. "The work is under progress
and all efforts are being made to begin cargo handling by March 30, 2013,"
one of the directors of GPL M M Moharana said.
The cargo-handling capacity
would be around 3.5 million tonne with the construction of one berth initially,
he said. GPL will construct three berths -- coal, iron and multipurpose in the
same year, he added. Besides the port work, other supporting infrastructure
like power distribution system, railway and road connectivity are under process
to meet the deadline, he said.
He, however, said construction was hampered due
to agitation by some people. "We are trying our best to meet their
demands. We have decided to involve some prominent persons of the area,
including local MLAs (Gopalpur and Chhatrapur and MP from Berhampur) to sort
out their problem," Moharana said. The company director said the Gopalpur
Port Dock Workers' Union affiliated to the Indian National Trade Union Congress
(INTUC) threatened to launch an agitation following injury of a worker
allegedly due to attack by the GPL officials.
Company officials, however,
claimed that the attacker was not an employee of the Gopalpur Port Ltd. GPL was
awarded the project for the development of an all weather port by the state
government with an investment of around Rs 1,700 crore in 2008. "We have
already invested around Rs 320 crore so far in the port project," Mohrana
said.
Source:
Business Standard
