Gujarat approves ₹392-cr Navlakhi Port expansion

The Gujarat Government has given in-principle approval for the expansion of the port in a phased manner entailing an estimated investment of ₹392 crore. In the first phase of expansion a new jetty worth ₹192 crore is to be built at Navlakhi port which has been in operation since 1939 and lies a little over two km away from the Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Kutch. In the second phase, four more jetties costing an estimated ₹200 crore will be constructed at Navlakhi. The first phase of expansion will help the port in Morbi district to double its cargo handling capacity to 16-20 million metric tons per annum. The approval was prompted after the National Green Tribunal refused to quash the Environmental Clearance given to Navlakhi port for modernization. The port currently exports commodities like salt, while it imports coal and coke, flour spar and pig iron. The expansion plan will involve the construction of a 485-meter-long jetty where the newest will be the sixth jetty where two are owned by Gujarat Maritime Board, one each jetty belongs to Shreeji Shipping Pvt Ltd, United Shippers Ltd and Jaydeep Associates. Under the Sagarmala project, the Centre will be providing financial aid worth ₹41.3 crore for building this jetty. This will be the first of the five jetties that will be constructed by the Gujarat Maritime Board as part of the expansion project for Navlakhi port. In the first phase, one jetty will be constructed, 5.76 hectares of land will be reclaimed, port will be mechanized and capital dredging will be carried out. The Centre had granted CRZ clearance for the project in November 2020. The expansion of the port includes modernization of existing port operations by way of mechanization and augmentation of waterfront facilities. The entire operation of the port is proposed to be converted in close containment in such a way that coal or dusty cargo will not be handled in open.