Jun 09, 2017: The central government has proposed setting up of a Rs 200 crore joint venture company with Tamil Nadu for starting water transport from Kanyakumari to Chennai, said Nitin Gadkari the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways.
"We have given a proposal by which we can make a joint venture between Tamil Nadu government and our Ministry," added the minister.
Addressing reporters after inaugurating a slew of initiatives at the Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL) at Ennore, Gadkari said "our stakeholder port will invest more than Rs 200 crore as equity," in this JV. We will formulate a joint venture company and start water transport from Kanyakumari to Chennai and also from Thiruvananthapuram (in Kerala) to Kanyakumari to Chennai. We can even go up to Mumbai and Goa also."
He, however, did not specify which port would be investing the Rs 200 crore. Gadkari said the Centre's policy was to give 'highest priority' for inland water transport, especially involving rivers, reported the news agency.
To a question on the Sethusamudram shipping channel project, he reiterated the NDA government's policy that Ramasethu or Adam's bridge will not be dredged as was originally planned.
"At any cost, we will not destroy Ramasethu. It is very clear," he said, adding, the stand has been made clear in the Parliament also. However, the Centre was "committed" to implementing the project with "4-5 options" under its proposal. But, since the issue was sub-judice in the Supreme Court, its consent on besides cabinet approval was required, he added.
"We are very much committed to it (project), and regarding Ramasethu, we will never destroy that structure," he said.
The project seeks to create a navigational channel in the Palk Strait that would make shorter the journey time of ships from the western coast to eastern coast, avoiding the present need to circumvent Sri Lanka.
Responding to a question, he said India was in talks with Sri Lanka for developing the Colombo Port.
Sri Lanka was "keenly interested" in the project and "we are working on this, but nothing is finalised," he said.
On the proposed Colachel port in Tamil Nadu, Gadkari said it was a cabinet decision to develop the facility there and asserted that the "project is intact."