Odishatv Bureau

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has decided to set up a riverine port on Mahanadi River at Akhadasali village under Mahakalpada block of Kendrapara district.

As per reports, the port will be built on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode on BOOST (build–own–operate-share–transfer) basis.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday chaired a meeting to issue the request for proposal (RFP) for the port to four developers, who had submitted applications in response to the request for qualification (RFQ) floated earlier.

The port will be built in two phases. In the first phase, two berths will be established at an estimated cost of Rs 2,110 crore for transportation of 18.43 million tonne cargo per annum.

The transportation capacity will be increased from the 18.43 million tonne to 45.88 million tonne per annum later on, informed sources.

In the first phase, 175 hectare of land will be needed and for increase in capacity another 125 hectare land will be used.

The port will be connected to the National Highway No 5-A (now NH-53) and Haridaspur-Paradip railway line for transportation of cargo, added sources.

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As per official sources, the project is expected to create 10,700 job opportunities in the State.

Soon after the announcement, former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda tweeted "Excellent! I'd strenuously pushed this project, including bringing the relevant member of the then Planning Commission, & major potential investors in 2013 to examine this area, meet the state govt, & promote the riverine port. Glad to see long pending decision finally taken."

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