Kendrapara: Odisha’s first ever riverine port which was proposed over two-and-half-years ago and was to be constructed on the Mahanadi near Akhadasali village under Mahakalpara block of Kendrapara has reached a dead end due to administrative apathy, local residents said Monday.
During a visit to Kendrapara district December 8, 2018, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had announced the ambitious project. A special meeting was also convened by the Odisha government to discuss the modalities with ArcelorMittal Group in July, 2018. This had sparked hope among locals regarding development.
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A source informed, the government had then chalked out plans to construct the proposed port in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode and the existing Paradip Port would have developed its infrastructure. Accordingly, 5T and Private Secretary to Chief Minister VK Pandian had visited the demarcated site in December, 2020.
The riverine port was to be setup with an estimated cost of Rs 2,110 crore, in the first phase. The annual turnover of cargo-handling was expected to be around 18.43 million tonne, the source added.
However, the project has witnessed a very little progress in the last couple of years. Intellectuals like Radhakanta Mohanty, legal professional Ramaniranjan Routray, social activists Gayadhar Dhal, Sunil Kumar Gantayat and Sushil Kumar Rout were very critical about the administrative apathy. “Kendrapara district has always faced neglect and it still occupies the 26th place as far as economic development is concerned, among other districts in the state.”
After completion, the riverine port would have provided employment to over 15,000 job aspirants in the district, the locals opined.
PNN
