Centre to expedite port connectivity projects

After repeated delays in the execution of road and rail connectivity projects with non-major ports, the Union cabinet has pulled up the Ministry of Railways (MoR) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and asked them to ensure the timely completion of these projects on priority. Non-major ports are the ones that are not owned by the central government. At a meeting of PM Gati-Shakti Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) on June 22, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba also asked the ministries to finalise a comprehensive action plan in coordination with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and integrate it into the PM Gati-Shakti framework by August 15.. Close to 52 road and 28 rail connectivity projects for ports remain incomplete as of today, with more being added to the pipeline of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping Waterways through its flagship scheme, Sagarmala. The respective secretaries informed the panel that many of these projects are either in a feasibility assessment or detailed project report (DPR) stage..Also ReadJM Baxi ports to bid for port associated projects worth Rs 7,000 crore