India to takes 900 planes this year
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, officiated at two mega projects on 18 Feb 2018 – a container terminal and a new airport in Mumbai, stressing the need for top quality infrastructure to keep pace with the globalization.
“Globalisation is a reality of our times and to keep pace with it, we need top quality infrastructure. The Sagarmala project is ushering development of ports.
“The government is devoting significant efforts towards the development of waterways,” assured Modi at the inauguration of inaugurate the Fourth Container Terminal (FCT) of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).
Modi unveiled the foundation plaque at the ground breaking ceremony for Navi Mumbai international airport while noting the issue of delayed projects in the country while aviation industry was expanding fast.
“Issue of Navi Mumbai airport has been pending for years. This is not the only project that is pending. When I assumed office, I realised there were several such projects. That is why, we began a Pragati initiative and gave priority to completion of projects.”
“In our country, nearly 450 planes are operational. 900 new planes will be bought this year. Aviation sector is moving ahead,” he said.
GVK Power and Infrastructure Limited (GVKPIL) is undertaking the project on 30-year concession with option for 10-year extention.
In January 2018, it had signed the concession agreement through the creation of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), i.e. Navi Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (NMIAL) with CIDCO, a nodal authority of Maharashtra state government.
GVKPIL’s subsidiary, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) holds 74% equity shares of NMIAL with the rest held by CIDCO.
JNPT
Costing Rs.4,719 crore, the FCT has been developed on Design, Built, Fund, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a concession period of 30 years.
The Phase I, with capacity to handle 2.4 million TEUs, was completed in 36 months.
The total development would be about Rs.7,915 crore with the completion of second phase in 2022. It is designed to handle 10 million TEUs.
The new terminal have deepest berths enabling it to handle “Mother Ships” from a quay length of 1 km, and cranes that can reach 22 rows wide or greater, handling three container ships at one go.
It will be linked to the dedicated rail freight corridor and will be able to receive about 350 containers per rake.
The rail facilities will be the largest in India with the only on-dock Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) compliant facility in India, capable of handling 1.5km long, 360 Twenty-ft Equivalent Unit (TEU) container trains on completion of the DFC.
The facility will also have provision for storing 1,600 reefer (refrigerated) containers to handle agricultural and horticulture produce.
Shipping, Road Transport & Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari has underlined the importance of Mumbai projects: “Logistics play a key role in the development of the economy and the government is committed to provide world class logistics and infrastructure facilities so that trade flourishes.”
Fifty-eight of the 101 Sagarmala projects aare under various stages of development, he said of the country’s ports and related developments costing an estimated Rs.2.5 lakh crore. fii-news.com
