The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has identified nine high-impact infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,913 crore as part of the Pradhan Mantri GatiShakti-National Master Plan, with the Centre aiming for a rapid ramp-up of India’s infrastructure (infra) and logistics sector. Through 2022-23, the high-impact initiatives will be constantly watched. “Under GatiShakti, we have identified 101 projects with a total cost of Rs 62,627 crore.” “We want to finish these by 2024, and the nine high-impact projects by the end of current fiscal year,” a senior official stated.
The official, who is part of the GatiShakti network planning group (NPG), which oversees project management for the integrated infra development programme, added that two of these nine projects — extension of container terminals at Port of Visakhapatnam and mechanisation of container terminal of New Mangalore Port — have been completed.
Previously the Centre had identified a total of 81 high-impact projects under the GatiShakti NMP, almost half of which are to be executed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Five of the projects are to be executed by major ports at an estimated cost of Rs 900 crore, while the others are being taken up by the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
“Seven of 101 projects (in the GatiShakti pipeline) of Rs 2,369 crore have been completed so far, resulting in the addition of 150,000 square metre storage area at ports, mechanisation of cargo-handling facilities, development of 277 hectares of economic and industrial zones on port-owned land, and construction of container terminals,” said the official.
