Railways to take up Rs 20,000cr port connectivity project

TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi-Ministry of Railways will take up 21 port-rail connectivity projects, at an estimated cost of Rs 20,000 crore, under the government’s Sagarmala project to strengthen evacuation network and boost last-mile connectivity to the country’s ports. In addition, another six projects are being considered by the Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd (IPRCL).

“The Ministry of Railways will be taking up 21 port-rail connectivity projects, at an estimated cost of more than Rs 20,000 crore, as identified under the port-connectivity enhancement objective of Sagarmala,” a Shipping Ministry statement said. IPRCL has already awarded three connectivity projects for Vishakhapatnam and Chennai ports for quick evacuation of cargo and another 19 projects are in the pipeline.

Many port-rail connectivity projects have been identified as part of National Perspective Plan, April 2016, under the Sagarmala programme, including development of heavy haul rail line from Ib Valley/Talcher to Paradip. The project will help in transportation of thermal coal from Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) to various coastal power plants in southern India through coastal shipping.