By IANS,
Chennai : The central government has approved development projects worth Rs.132 billion for the three major ports in Tamil Nadu – Chennai, Ennore and Tuticorin – Minister for Shipping, Road and Transport T.R. Baalu said here Saturday.
Speaking at an agreement signing ceremony between Ennore Port Ltd and auto major Nissan Motors (India) Pvt Ltd, he said: “The Ennore port has been allocated Rs.66 billion, Chennai Port Rs.22.47 billion and Tuticorin Rs.45.71 billion. The three ports have to act in unison to take the state of Tamil Nadu forward.
“The password for economic development is infrastructure.” The government has allocated Rs.879 billion for the port sector under the 11th plan.
The government has received development proposals worth $23 billion ($9 billion in shipping sector and $12 billion in port) under the National Maritime Development Programme, Balu added.
He said the cargo traffic through the Indian ports was expected to hit 1 billion tonnes by 2011-12 and the handling capacity should be raised accordingly.
According to S. Velumani, chairman cum managing director of Ennore Port, development works amounting Rs.27 billion have been undertaken.
Chennai Port chairman K. Suresh said the two ports – Chennai and Ennore – would ship out around 500,000 cars by 2011.
During 2007-08, 138,000 cars were shipped out of the Chennai port and in the first six months of this fiscal 117,000 cars were exported.
“In order to meet the needs of car exporters, facilities like roll on and roll off terminal with multi-level car parks are being planned,” Suresh added.