Gujarat to develop Bhavnagar port

By Manas Dasgupta

BHAVNAGAR (GUJARAT), APRIL 2. The Bhavnagar port in Gujarat, famous for its ship-breaking yard at Alang, is all set to emerge as a major ship-building port in the country.

The Chief Minister, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, who has sought private sector participation for developing Bhavnagar, known for its second highest tide in the world, as a major ship- building port, has also instructed the State-owned Gujarat Maritime Board to come to the aid of private entrepreneurs with all necessary assistance.

The success of the GMB in helping small ports in the State and the performance of another State-owned company, the Alcock Ashdown, in manufacturing three modern vessels at the Bhavnagar port, has encouraged the State Government to develop the ship- building industry at Bhavnagar.

Dedicating the three vessels, Gurjari, Gomti, and Gitanjali, to the people of the State at a function here, Mr. Patel said he would ask the Industries Commissioner to draft proposals for developing the ship-building industry. He advised the captains of the shipping industry to shoulder responsibilities without expecting Government's help.

``The GMB will be there to help with guidance and, if necessary, funds up to 25 per cent of the equity. But it is time the private entrepreneurs take over the roll of the development of the State without expecting the Government to do all the groundwork,'' Mr Patel said.

He was critical of the previous Congress(I) governments for pursuing ``wrong policies''. The `govermentalisation' of the trade and commerce had led to increasing poverty and unemployment. ``For years, we had been watching with pride the world's second highest tide in the Gulf of Kutch, but no one ever thought of taking advantage of the nature's gift to us,'' the Chief Minister said. He also claimed that his Government had achieved in five years what the Congress(I) governments could not in 47 years.

It was the private sector participation in the development of ports, which the GMB managing director, Mr. P.N. Roy Choudhury, described as `Keshu Vision', that contributed in the small ports turning the corner and becoming revenue-earners for the State. It was only during the first tenure of Mr. Patel in 1995 that a detailed ``port policy'' was drafted. Gujarat was the first State in the country to invite private sector participation in the development of the ports. Since then, the private sector has invested more than Rs. 5,500 crores in the ports in the State.

The dozen-odd operating ports out of the total 41 small port in the State had registered a record 47 million tonnes of traffic handling in the just-concluded financial year with a turnover of about Rs. 200 crores. The corresponding figures in the last year was merely about 12 million tonnes and turnover of about 30 crores.

The GMB performance was not at the expense of the Central sector mega Kandla port, also in the Gulf of Kutch. But while the small ports registered rapid growth in one year, the over-crowded Kandla recorded a slow progress from 40 million tonnes of traffic handling to about 44 million tonnes. The promises shown by the small ports, and more particularly the Bhavnagar port, encouraged to the State Government. Bhavnagar served the entire north India hinterland and could be used as a supply base for any purpose.

The proposed `Ghogha-Dahej ro-ro ferry service' linking Bhavnagar with Broach district in south Gujarat, shortening the distance by road to Mumbai by about 400 kilometres, however, is still a far cry. According to Mr. Roy Choudhury, the ferry service, pending for the last 30 years or so, is still at the stage of project appraisal by an international consultant. ``In the changed circumstances, the project will require an investment of over Rs. 200 crores and we have to go for a detailed study,'' he said.

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