Considering the strategic location and other facilities available, a bulk cargo transhipment hub can be developed in Atlanta Bay near Diglipur in the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands and feasibility study for developing it into a major harbour is under process, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday.
Indira Point, the southernmost tip of India will be developed as a major tourism destination, he added.
“Considering its strategic location, in the northern side of A&N Islands, a 10m draft harbour is essential to promote high-end tourism and other essential purposes,” Mr. Sonowal said at the end of his two-day tour of the islands. Currently a jetty with 5m draft allows berthing of inter-island vessels of 4m draft.
Once developed, travel time between major ports in Andaman and Kolkata will be reduced from 72 hours to 15 hours, the Minister said. The Atlanta Bay has a natural draft of 19-20m, there is availability of natural break and it is well connected by road, the Ministry said in a statement adding sufficient land can be reclaimed from the sea.
This transhipment hub is on the route connecting East and Northeast India to East and South East Asia, countries in the Australia-New Zealand region and is also on the route through which coal, sand and other construction materials, as well as iron ore are transported to Bangladesh and Myanmar. Once operationalised, the bulk cargo transhipment port will be economically beneficial for our country as well as to our neighbours. The proposed port is 565 km from Yangoon; 765 km from Sittwe [Myanmar]; 1,000 km from Chittagong; 1,100 km from Kolkata; 1,000 km from Barisal [Bangladesh]; and 80 km from the Coco Islands [the Chinese defence base],” the statement said.
On Thursday, Mr. Sonowal took an aerial survey of the International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP), a Sagarmala Project being developed at Galathea Bay, and also visited Indira Point, the southernmost point of India’s territory at Great Nicobar Island of A&N Islands. He directed officials concerned to explore the possibility of developing the Indira Point area as a tourism destination and develop required tourism amenities and facilities for the same, the Ministry said.
There are 58 projects worth ₹7,622 crore in A&N which are being monitored under Sagarmala programme and 15 projects worth ₹469 crore funded under Sagarmala and Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). All projects are being implemented by Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works (ALHW). Eight projects worth around ₹211 crore are funded by Sagarmala; four projects worth ₹216 crore are funded under CSS; and three projects worth around ₹42 crore are funded by Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). One project worth ₹13.5 crore has been completed; four projects estimated at ₹173 crore are under implementation; one project worth ₹26 crore is under tendering and nine projects estimated at around ₹256 crore are under development, the Ministry stated.
As per the Maritime India Vision 2030, it is planned to develop Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) islands and Lakshadweep Islands for tourism and other initiatives. “Initially, development plans have been focused on job creation for locals through tourism promotion and export of locally made seafood- and coconut-based products. In the first phase, these plans are being implemented in four islands of A&N and five islands of Lakshadweep. In the second phase, suitable sites in 12 more islands of A&N and five islands in Lakshadweep will be covered,” the statement added.
