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Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on Friday signed MoU for the construction of green field port at Vadhawan in Thane district. The project envisages investment of Rs 6,000 crore and the foundation stone will be laid in December.The port development is expected to be complete in two years. The port will have a capacity of over 60 million tonne per annum.
The union minister for ports and shipping Nitin Gadkari, who was accompanied by the state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, said that JNPT will have 74% equity while the balance 26% will be picked up by MMB. Gadkari made it clear that not a single family will be displaced nor there will be any land acquisition. Besides, the port development will not require felling of existing trees.
''The location has advantage that it is clear of fishing activities with deep water depth contour of more than 20 meter which is only 4.5 nautical mile from the coast and 2.5 nautical mile from the rocky patches. The port can be used for the transportation of high quality coal in the Nashik and Bhusawal power generation plants run by the MahaGenco,'' Gadkari said.
