Kamaraj Port to develop SEZ or FTZ on a 650-acre land.

Kamaraj Port Ltd, formerly known as Ennore Port Ltd. and India's first corporate set up by the government, is planning to build a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) or Free Trade Zone (FTZ) on a 650-acre land. The Port has also signed an MoU with Puducherry government to set up a port in the Union territory. Speaking at the sidelines of a CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) conference on Approach to Integrated Maritime Systems at Chennai, M A Bhaskarachar, chairman and managing director, Kamarajar Port Ltd. said that the Port has acquired around 650 acres of land from the salt department, close the Port to develop an SEZ or FTZ. "Soon we will appoint a consultant to conduct the feasibility report. The Port is planning to promote the zone for manufacturing industries." Soon an SPV will be floated to promote the Port, which will have two or three berths to handle clean cargo, containers and cruise. While the government will bring in land, the Port will invest in developing the Port, said Bhaskarachar. The Kamaraj Port has also held talks with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation to start a cruise service from Ennore, about 45 kms from Chennai, to Kanyakumari via tourist destinations of Mahabalipuram, Puducherry and Rameswaram. "Soon the tenders will be opened for an operator," he said. On the ongoing projects at Kamaraj Port, Bhaskarachar said in the next three years the Port will add 3-5 berths, including one for container terminal (at a cost of over Rs. 1,200 crore), one for multi-cargo berth and one for coal. While these projects will be developed by private players, the Port would invest around Rs. 220 crore during the current year in dredging of berths and to create other infrastructure like railway yard. Speaking about the growth of the Port, he said, the 12-year old port grew about 50% last year and till this fiscal the growth has been around 15%.