Gujarat Maritime in talks to revive Jodiya port

Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), which has ambitious plans for the development of smaller ports in the state is in talks with a foreign investor development of Jodiya port in Jamnagar district, Saurashtra.

"We are focussing on development of smaller ports, whose potential has relatively been untapped owing to lack of adequate investments. Jodiya is one port with tremendous potential for traffic but has been largely ignore," said H K Das, vice chairman and CEO of GMB told Business Standard.

"Smaller ports of the state have remained unutilsed for number of reasons. We want to tap its potential in association with private investors. We would like to have investments from other state governments too in the form of join ventures among others," said Dash.

"The port was in extensive use earlier, but for last few years it's being used only for fisheries and other small time traffic related activities. We are hopeful of a positive outcome of our talk though it may take time," Das said.

He, however, did not disclose the exact investment required to revive Jodiya port, saying that talks were still on and modalities""which will decide the final amount to be invested""are being worked out.

GMB is also looking at promoting the idea of investments in port sector other states, for which GMB has already sought help from Haryana, Uttaranchal and Madhya Pradesh among others.

"We have invited number of states that ware landlocked with no access to the port. Having own port facility in Gujarat may bring them some revenue and we are willing to offer them options with largest sea shore in India that is about 1600 km. We received good response from some of the states such as Uttaranchal for investments in ports," said Das.

Meanwhile, GMB is upgrading its facilities to meet with its ambitious plans. It may be recalled that GMB signed MoUs worth Rs 16,000 crore with private parties from India and overseas during "Vibrant Gujarat - 2005".

It also inaugurated its new building in Jamnagar to synergise its operations for Bedi group of ports, and committed an investment of Rs 10 crore for the construction of a new road to the port.