The detailed project report (DPR) of a Rs 41,000-crore international transhipment port project at Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal is being finalised by the government, and it will go ahead with the implementation of the project in the next few months, a senior official said.
     
Great Nicobar Transhipment port project has been under scrutiny over environmental concerns.
     
"The project has received the environmental clearances and nod from National Green Tribunal (NGT) and now there is no hurdle in its implementation. The DPR of the project is also finalised and we are going ahead for its further implementation in the next few months," Ports, Shipping and Waterways secretary T K Ramachandran told PTI in an interview.
   
Last year, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in a statement had said the project is expected to be completed with an investment of Rs 41,000 crore (USD 5 billion), including investments from both government and public-private partnership (PPP) concessionaires.
     
"11 players have submitted expressions of interest for the international transhipment port project at Great Nicobar Island," the ministry added.
     
Larsen and Toubro Ltd, Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, and JSW Infrastructure Ltd are among the companies that have submitted EoIs for the international transhipment port project.
     
The proposed port in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will have the ultimate capacity to handle 16 million containers per year, and in the first phase, to be commissioned by 2028 at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore, it will handle more than 4 million containers.