Deendayal Port Trust objects to plans to revive private jetty

In response, the Gujarat government has put the project on back-burner, pending disposal of objections raised by the DPT. (Twitter @KandlaPort)
THE DEENDAYAL Port Trust (DPT), which manages Kandla port in Kutch district, has objected to Gujarat government granting permission to a private group to revive what the latter claims to be an old jetty in Mithi Rohar village near the public port, citing that the proposed project is too close to Kandla.

In response, the Gujarat government has put the project on back-burner, pending disposal of objections raised by the DPT.

Ahir Salt and Allied Products Private Limited (ASAPPL), a group company of Neelkanth Group of Gandhidham which is into the business of salt manufacturing, shipping services, cargo handling and storage, has sought approvals from Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to revive what it claims to be a jetty in Mithi Rohar village in Kandla creek which was operational till 1976. The company has proposed to develop a jetty there and allied infrastructure like road, railroad and a tank farm with an aim to diversify its business in port operations. The Group had signed a memorandum of understanding with Gujarat government at Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2011 to revive the jetty.

The company proposes to invest Rs 180 crore in the project and has got environmental clearance and other approvals like construction permission from the state government.

In September last year, the DPT objected to the project saying it was too close to Kandla port and that the private firm was seeking innocent passage through the Kandla port. Following this objection, the GMB has put the project on hold. “We have withheld remaining clearances to the jetty project pending resolution of objections raised by the DPT,” a top Gujarat government officer told The Indian Express on Thursday on the condition of anonymity.

Arjan Ahir, one of the directors in the ASAPPL, alleged the objections by the DPT were motivated. “We first approached the DTP seeking clearances to revive the jetty but it told us that the land belongs to the Gujarat government. Meanwhile, the DPT published its land-use vision-2020 document in year 2012, showing our lease land in the proposed map of development. We objected the Mithi Rohar land being included in it. The DPT accepted our objections and revised the draft which excluded the Mithi Rohar land. Now, that DPT has accepted that the said land belongs to the Gujarat government, the GMB is free to develop it. These objections now by the DPT are motivated by vested interests,” said Ahir.

While the GMB has decided to go slow on the project, DPT said it had no formal intimation of any such decision. “We have not received any formal communication from the Gujarat government in this regard so far,” said DPT chairman SK Mehta.

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