Delay in environmental clearance slowed down progress of port

N. K. Raghupathy, chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust (TPT), has said that delay in according environmental clearance to the infrastructural developments during the last two years, to meet the increasing volume of cargo traffic, has a bit slowed down the progress of the port.

Mr. Raghupathy said that the TPT managed to register growth continuously for the last five fiscals and record cargo traffic to the tune of 171 lakh tonnes handled during 2005-06 fiscal. The net surplus during the last five years has increased from around Rs.40 crore in 2001-02 to about Rs.100 crore in 2006-07.

According to him, the Centre should quickly clear the entire development projects envisaged for the augmentation of port facilities here during the XI Five Year Plan, to help the port to remain competitive in the changing global trade scenario. The Chairman said the Union Minister for Shipping, T.R. Baalu, has announced investment of around Rs.7,000 crore for the development of port during the 11th plan period.