Vadhavan Port work in full swing, public hearings likely in few months
During the briefing, Sanjay Sethi spoke about the proposed port, which is slated to be the 13th major port in India. Vadhavan port will be amongst the first 10 biggest ports in the world, which will bring development, employment, and added income, Sethi said.
PALGHAR: Public hearings for the proposed Vadhavan Port, which is to be developed as a Green Port, are likely to begin in the next few months. The Vadhavan Port Project Ltd. (VPPL) has initiated the process for construction of the ₹76,220 crore port, which is to be constructed around five km in the sea from the coast of Vadhavan village in Dahanu taluka of Palghar district. The port is being developed as a joint venture by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
Sanjay Sethi, chairman, JNPA, briefed the media about the status of the proposed port at the collector’s office in Palghar on Thursday. Palghar district collector Govind Bodke, superintendent of police Balasaheb Patil, and Unmesh Wagh, deputy chairman of JNPA, were present during the briefing.
During the briefing, Sanjay Sethi spoke about the proposed port, which is slated to be the 13th major port in India. Vadhavan port will be amongst the first 10 biggest ports in the world, which will bring development, employment, and added income, Sethi said.
The proposed Green Port is planning to provide green fuel to ships coming to the port, and the construction and operations are planned to keep in mind to keep the balance with the environmental issues. The port will not handle any liquid bulk other than eligible oil, which will help maintain the ecological balance, Sethi added.
The VVPL conducted 26 surveys and studies through agencies in India about various environmental aspects and impacts of this port. “We will abide by CRZ-1A norms and would not require cutting off mangroves. This will help to minimize the environmental impact of this port,” Sethi added.
The JNPA chairman said Shankhodhar, a place of historical importance and worship, will not be affected by the port. However, Sethi conceded that the fishing population of 20,809 people from 5,333 households residing in 16 fishing villages in the region would be affected by the port. Compensation for the fishermen by direct employment and helping the affected persons with the latest fishing technology and allied businesses are being planned, Sethi said.
During the briefing, anti-Vadhavan Port associations staged a protest outside the collector’s office and tried to enter the premises but were stopped at the entry point.
Sethi said that a public hearing is being planned for the proposed Vadhavan port after obtaining the necessary legal clearances.
A separate public hearing will be held for dredging 2,000 million cubic meters of sand off the Daman coast which will be used to reclaim the land for the port.
The construction of the port has gathered momentum after it received the no-objection certificate from the Dahanu Taluka Environmental Protection Authority (DTEPA) on July 31, 2023. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Atomic Energy Regulatory Broad (AERB) also paved the way for the port as it is a few km away from the Tarapur Atomic Power Project.
The Vadhavan port will be constructed by a joint venture in which JNPA will have 74% stakes and MMB at 26%. The Vadhavan port has a natural draft of 20 metres depth at a distance of 5 km, and 3,600 acres of land will be reclaimed for this port. The port will handle 15 million TEU containers in the first phase and 23.2 million TEUs after the commissioning of its second phase.
