THOOTHUKUDI: “Thoothukudi VOC Port will be developed to avert diversion of shipping business going to nearby Colombo port,” said the Union minister for Road transport & highways, shipping and water resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation, Nitin Gadkari. Speaking on the inaugural of the ‘truck parking terminal’ created at a cost of Rs 23.69 crore that included the grant of Rs 10 crore under the Central government’s prestigious Sagarmala project here on Monday evening, Gadkari said that being one of the largest international container transshipment terminal nearby Thoothukudi, Colombo port in neighbouring Sri Lanka has been attracting good volume of business from India.
However, “to stop our business being attracted by Colombo port”, the Union shipping minister assured to enhance infrastructural facilities at Thoothukudi VOC port that is an important port from logistic point of view among the twelve major ports in the nation. “We have decided to take up the dredging project to enhance the draft inside the port to 16.5-mt for which Rs 3,000 crore has been sanctioned,” said Gadkari, adding, three gantry cranes will be commissioned at the eighth container berth being operated by ‘Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminal private limited’ on PPP mode at a total cost of Rs 312.23 crore. They would add up to the overall handling capacity of Thoothukudi port, he reasoned.
Further, to enhance port connectivity, the Union minister assured to develop the 10-km stretch road from the port as six-lane road. He regretted that the Madurai-Thoothukudi four-lane national highway was being poorly maintained. The minister added that the NH would be properly maintained for which adequate funds have been sanctioned by the Central government.
