Shyam group to build port in Orissa

Kolkata: The Kolkata-based Shyam Group has joined hands with another local company Century Plyboards India and floated Puri Ports Ltd to launch a port at Baliharchandi, about 40 km from Puri (Orissa).

About 3,500 acres of land, according to a spokesman for Shyam Group, has been identified for the proposed port project and a memorandum of understanding with the Orissa Government is to be signed shortly.

“Once the MoU has been signed, we’ve to obtain statutory clearances from various authorities such as the coastal regulation zone, the Environment Ministry, the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Tourism”, he said.

The Ministry of Tourism’s clearance would be required because, as it was pointed out, a cruise terminal would be an important component of the proposed port. “The Special Tourism Area being developed by the Orissa Government is barely 10 km from the proposed port site”, he observed.

The first phase of the proposed port, to be complete with four berths including the cruise terminal and an industrial park, is estimated to cost Rs 1,800-2,000 crore. The berths, which will have a total capacity of 12 million tonnes, will mainly handle clean cargoes such as wood products, steel cargo etc.

“We’ve to implement the project within 24 months from the day the State Government completes the process of the delivery of land”, the spokesman said adding that IIT, Chennai, was preparing the detailed project report.

It might be noted that Shyam Group is already operating a jetty for handling logs at Falta Economic Zone in West Bengal. The Group is also one of the three promoters of Century Plyboards, which is setting up a container freight station in the Kolkata dock.