Despite the fact that the state government has designated 300 hectares of land for the establishment of a riverine port on the Mahanadi in Akhadasali village’s Mahakalapada block of Kendrapada district, only 175 hectares would be used in the first phase, according to official sources.
The facility’s future expansion will be funded by the remaining half. Additionally, 18.43 MMTPA of the port’s anticipated 45.88 MMTPA cargo handling capacity will be developed during the first phase.
The Paradip Port Authority (PPA) has been given preliminary clearance by the government to build the port on the left bank of the Mahanadi. Nearly Rs 2,085 crore of the anticipated total cost of Rs 4,000 crore would be spent on establishing the facility in the first phase, the sources stated.
While along with land, the government will provide other facilities for the project, the PPA is likely to develop supporting infrastructures like rail and road connectivity and dredging requirements of the port, which will be connected to National Highway-53 and Haridaspur-Paradip railway line for cargo transportation.
