Dhamra Port on Orissa coast will be operational by March 2010, said the state commerce & transport minister, Jaynarayan Mishra.
The minister said nearly 50% of the port?s first phase work has been completed. Out of the total estimated project cost of Rs 2464 crore, Rs 1173 crore has already been spent by now. The project work was started on the site at Dhamra in Orissa’s Bhadrak district after the financial closure achieved in Feburary, 2007.
In the first phase, the port will have two fully mechanised berths, 350 metre long each, to handle a total of 25 million tonne cargo per annum. While Rs 1160 crore has been earmarked for the port?s construction works, Rs 612 crore has been provided for dredging purpose. About Rs 78 crore has been granted for railway line & engine procurement, Rs 98 crore for land acquisition & development, and Rs 516 crore for other expenses.