Odishatv Bureau

Berhampur: The first phase of work of the Gopalpur port being developed by Gopalpur Port Limited is likely to be completed by March, 2013.

"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 capacity of the handing of the cargo would be around 3.5 million tonne with construction of one berth initially, with the GPL to construct three berths - coal, iron and multipurpose in the same year, he said.

Besides the port work, that on other supporting infrastructure like power distribution system, railway and road connectivity were under process to meet the deadline, he said.

He, however, said that construction was hampered due to frequent 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 threatened to launch an agitation following injury of a worker allegedly due to attack by the GPL officials on Friday.

Company officials, however, claimed that the attacker was not an employee of the Goplpur Port Limited.

GPL was awarded the project for the development of an all weather port by the state government with an investment of around Rs 1700-crore in 2008. "We have already invested around Rs 320 crore so far in the port project," Mohrana said.

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