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Mumbai, August 30: Stating that it is a historic day for the state of Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the entire world is looking towards Vadhavan Port and highlighted that very few ports in the world can match Vadhavan’s depth of 20 meters. Modi was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the development of Vadhavan Port in Dahanu taluka of Palghar district on Friday. The port will be one of India’s largest deep-water ports. The total cost of the project is Rs 76,220 crore.
“The Vadhvan Port will be the country's largest container port and will be counted among the world’s top-10 deep water ports. It will become an epicentre of trade and industrial development for Maharashtra and India. Centre has taken many steps for the growth of the state in the last 10 years since a developed Maharashtra is the most crucial element for the resolution of a developed Bharat,” Modi said and congratulated the people of Palghar, the state and the entire nation for the project.
Underlining that the port would transform the economic landscape of the entire region due to railway and highway connectivity, Modi mentioned that the Rs 76,000 crore project would create opportunities for new businesses and warehousing owing to its connectivity to the dedicated Western Freight Corridor and proximity to the Delhi Mumbai Rail Corridor. “Cargo will flow in and out of the region throughout the year, thereby benefiting the people of Maharashtra”, he added.
Recalling the recent decision by the union government to develop the Dighi Port Industrial Area, the Prime Minister said that it is an occasion of double happiness for the people of Maharashtra. He informed that the industrial area will be developed in Raigad, the capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s empire. “Dighi Port will become an identity of Maharashtra and a symbol of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s dreams. It will also encourage tourism and economic trade,” Modi said.
Referring to India’s golden age, the Prime Minister said that there was a time when Bharat used to be counted among the most strong and prosperous nations due to its maritime capabilities. “People of Maharashtra are well aware of this potential. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took India’s maritime capabilities to new heights with his policies and strong decisions for the development of the country,” Modi said adding, even the entire East India Company could not stand in front of the might of Darya Sarang Kanhoji Angre.
“The previous governments failed to further enrich Bharat’s past. But, this is new India. It learns from history and recognizes its potential and pride. The new India is creating new milestones in maritime infrastructure by leaving behind every trace of the shackles of slavery,” Modi said and emphasized that development on India's coast has gained unprecedented speed in the last decade.
At the outset, Modi also launched the national roll out of Vessel Communication and Support System at a cost of around Rs 360 crore while he laid the foundation stone for important fishery infrastructure projects including development, upgradation and modernization of fishing harbours, fish landing centers and construction of fish markets. He also handed out transponder sets and Kisan Credit Cards to fishermen beneficiaries.
Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
