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INFRASTRUCTURE

NEW MANGALORE PORT AUTHORITY TO BUILD SATELLITE According to the state’s plan, the port will have an initial cargo
PORT AT PAVINAKURVE, KARNATAKA. handling capacity of 14 million tonnes (mt), which could be
The New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPT), the Union government- expanded to 37.4 mt by 2050. The port will feature water depths
owned entity that operates the major port at New Mangalore, will capable of accommodating Capesize vessels, the largest dry
develop a new port at Pavinakurve in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada bulk carriers.
district after three previous attempts by the state government to In September 2022, the Karnataka government floated global
build the port failed due to lack of bidder interest. tenders to develop deepwater greenfield ports at Keni-Belekeri
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda and Pavinakurve. While JSW Infrastructure Ltd was awarded the
Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha on December 5 that a proposal Keni port project as the sole bidder, Pavinakurve failed to attract
has been initiated to develop Pavinakurve as an independent any bidders. Subsequent attempts to find a PPP operator also
port in collaboration with NMPT. The Karnataka Maritime Board, drew no participants.
responsible for port development in the state, had made three NMPT had earlier expressed interest in developing Pavinakurve
attempts over two years to develop the port through a Public- as a satellite port and formally requested a site from the state
Private Partnership (PPP) with private investment of `3,047.86 crore. government. The port authority is expected to hire a consultant
The proposed port will be located on the banks of the Sharavathi to conduct a techno-economic feasibility study before moving
and Badagani rivers near Pavinakurve village in Honnavar taluka. forward with the project.

GADKARI INAUGURATES EIGHT RAIL-ROAD PROJECTS IN these located in Nagpur. Fadnavis emphasized the government’s
VIDARBHA. commitment to making Maharashtra “railway-crossing free.”
Vidarbha marked a significant boost in rail-road connectivity The main inauguration ceremony was held at Lakadganj in east
recently as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Nagpur, where Gadkari opened the 1,372-metre-long flyover, a
Gadkari inaugurated eight major infrastructure projects across `135 crore urban mobility project funded by the Maharashtra
the region. The projects include four road over bridges (RoBs), Urban Development Department. The flyover is expected to
three subways (RuBs), and the long-awaited Lakadganj flyover significantly ease commuter traffic on the busy Old Bhandara
in Nagpur, aimed at easing traffic congestion, improving road Road corridor. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule,
safety, and eliminating delays at railway level crossings. Public Works Minister Shivendraraje Bhosale, Minister of State Ashish
The inaugurations were part of a larger state-level event that saw Jaiswal, and other dignitaries were present.
12 major rail-road projects, worth `609 crore and constructed by In Vidarbha, the newly inaugurated RoBs are at Katol, Kalamna,
Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited Tirora, and Sakharwahi, while three subways have been
(MRIDC), or MahaRail, dedicated to the public. While the projects constructed in Chandrapur and two in Amravati district. The
span seven districts of Maharashtra, a significant number are structures are designed to remove dangerous level crossings,
located in Vidarbha, highlighting the region’s growing focus in ensure smoother traffic flow, and reduce accident risks.
infrastructure planning. Executed under a 50:50 cost-sharing model between the Ministry
Addressing the event via video conferencing, Chief Minister of Railways and the Maharashtra government, the projects are
Devendra Fadnavis noted that Maharashtra currently has 524 expected to substantially reduce travel time and traffic congestion
railway level crossings, of which 240 RoBs are being built by the while boosting regional development. MahaRail Managing
railways, 73 by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Director Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal noted that the subways are
and the remaining 211 by MahaRail. Of these 211 sites, 80 lack any equipped with robust drainage systems and protective structures
railway crossing or subway despite residential and commercial to prevent waterlogging during monsoon, ensuring long-term
areas on both sides, causing severe traffic congestion, with 13 of safety and reliability.

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