In tune with the recently-announced ‘PM Gati Shakti Master Plan’, by the Union Government, Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has also taken steps to create infrastructure and services that will ease logistics in the city. Here are some such initiatives taken up by Visakhapatnam Port Trust:
#1 Grade Separator at Convent Junction
One of the critical traffic points in the city is Convent Junction where cargo traffic, heading to and fro from port, and the city traffic comes together. To resolve this, and ensure smooth flow of cargo to the port, a Grade Separator has been proposed that will start from the H7 area and go till Visakhapatnam Port, bypassing Convent Junction.
#2 Expansion of existing 2-lane road from East Breakwater to Convent Junction
With the second container terminal slated to be operational by March 2022, the cargo traffic from East Breakwater to Convent Junction is expected to rise significantly. Hence, VPT has decided to expand this 2-lane road to a 4-lane road which will connect to the proposed Grade Separator at Convent Junction and head towards National Highway-16. Rs. 68 crore has been allotted for this project.
#3 Truck parking terminal
Providing a parking space for 600 cargo trucks at the port, VPT has planned to construct a truck parking terminal in an area of 20 acres near Exim park area in the port premises. This project will be undertaken at a budget of Rs. 52.32 crores. This terminal will facilitate parking of cargo trucks so that these trucks are not parked at the port roads. One of the most important development initiatives at the Visakhapatnam Port, it is expected to be completed by December 2022.
#4 Covered sheds for cargo
VPT is also going to have covered sheds for all cargo arriving at the port, to meet the requirements set by the Pollution Control Board and National Green Tribunal. These sheds will come in handy when dealing with dusty cargos. This project will be done at a cost of Rs. 36.38 crores and construction work is expected to begin in the next one month.
Along with this, VPT has also planned other development work, like six-laning of the road from the port to the National Highway-16, Electronic Interlocking of operation points and signals, electrification of Port Railway lines, etc.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on India’s Independence Day 2021, had announced the ‘PM Gati Shakti Master Plan’. The objective of this Rs. 100 lakh crore project is to develop a ‘holistic infrastructure’ for seamless road, rail and sea connectivity in India.
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