The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has been awarded Rs 2,037 crore from the national government’s Gati Shakti, Sagarmala, and Bharatmala programmes to complete port connection infrastructure projects. The projects, on which work is slated to begin soon, will offer the state a substantial boost in port-led development. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will channel these funds for rail and road connectivity of GMB ports for the speedy evacuation of cargo. The funding will also be used for strengthening connectivity to non-major ports that will help traders and small importers.
Cities are expanding, and cargo evacuation from GMB ports through cities causes significant disruption to residents and EXIM cargo carriers. The state government has approved a ring road for Bhavnagar city to address these challenges. It will include a stretch from the new port to the old port, as well as a stretch from the old port to the cable-stayed bridge, for quick freight evacuation. The proposed project is to be jointly developed by the GMB, the urban development department and the roads and buildings department. This 21.60km ring road will be developed at the cost of Rs 297 crore.
The city of Jamnagar serves as a hub for freight evacuation from three ports. The government is creating last-mile road connectivity because it recognises the need for cargo evacuation infrastructure for ports. It will cover 6.67 kilometres of port approach roads from Valsura maritime police station to Gulabnagar overbridge. It will cost Rs 70 crore to complete this project. Navlakhi is a GMB important port that now handles 10 to 11 million metric tonnes of cargo annually. The state government recently approved the construction of a 485-meter jetty and associated infrastructure to improve the cargo handling facilities at Navlakhi port. According to sources, this will increase cargo handling capacity by up to 20 million metric tonnes each year.
