PM kicks off Navi Mumbai International Airport project works; dedicates fourth container terminal of JNPT

Navi Mumbai: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today attended the Ground Breaking Ceremony of Navi Mumbai International Airport. At a function in Navi Mumbai, he also dedicated the fourth container terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister noted that he had come to Maharashtra, a day before the Jayanti of the great ShivajiMaharaj.

The Prime Minister said globalization is a reality of our times and to keep pace with globalisation, we need top quality infrastructure. He said the Sagarmala project is ushering not only development of ports but also port-led development. The Prime Minister said that the Government of India is devoting significant efforts towards the development of waterways.

The Prime Minister said that the Navi Mumbai airport project has been pending for years. He said delayed projects cause many problems, and the PRAGATI initiative had been initiated, to give priority to completion of projects.

He said India’s aviation sector is growing tremendously, and there is a sharp increase in the number of people flying. This makes quality infrastructure in the aviation sector of prime importance, he added. The Prime Minister said that the Union Government has brought an aviation policy that is transforming the sector. He added that a strong aviation sector also gives more economic opportunities. Better connectivity leads to more tourists coming to India, he said.

JNPT Port

Prime Minister dedicated the first phase of the Rs 7,900-crore 4th terminal project of the JNPT to the nation.

– The fourth terminal project will raise the cargo handling capacity of the nation’s largest container port by 50 per cent.

-The project will double JNPT’s capacity to nearly 10 million standard container units and will make it the 33rd biggest port globally.

-The nation’s largest port JNPT has a capacity of 4.8 million standard container units capacity now and with this inauguration 2.4 million standard container units are added. On completion of the second phase by 2022, which will also have a capacity of 2.4 million standard container units, total capacity will go up to almost 10 million.

-The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) has invested Rs 4,719 crore in the first phase of terminal at Uran through its subsidiary Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT). The work on the terminal began in 2015. The project has been executed with the support of Singaporean banks.

-The overall capacity of the first phase, which entails a 1-km-long berth mostly built on reclaimed land, can handle three ships simultaneously, is 2.4 million standard container units.

-PSA Group chief executive Tan Chong Meng said the port is targeting to handle 500,000 TEUs in 2018 and then add further.He said the JNPT, which awarded the fourth terminal to the PSA in May 2014 after long delays, has struggled with capacity till now due to which ports like Mundra in the private sector have been able to attract more traffic.Features like a longer berth and modern cranes which can handle larger ships, distinguish it from other terminals of JNPT located off the financial capital’s eastern coastline.