Gujarat resurrects ambitious Port-City Project
GANDHINAGAR : Inspired by global port cities like Rotterdam, Dubai, and Antwerp, the Gujarat government is reviving a decade-old plan to develop India’s first greenfield port city. Spanning 500 sq km, the ambitious project aims for completion by 2047, with an estimated investment of ₹1.5 lakh crore. Once realized, it promises to give Gujarat a significant maritime advantage on the national stage.
At the heart of the project is a massive port designed to handle 500 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), surrounded by integrated port-related industries, marine activities, residential areas, and recreational facilities. “This is a long-term initiative, and we are currently in the process of selecting a site from four shortlisted locations,” said a senior state government official.
Gujarat currently dominates cargo handling at non-major ports, accounting for 66 percent of the total, far ahead of Andhra Pradesh (14 percent) and Maharashtra (9 percent). Between April and October 2024 alone, Gujarat’s non-major ports, including private hubs like Mundra and Pipavav, managed 229 million tonnes of cargo. By 2047, the state aims to quadruple its capacity to handle 2,200 MTPA, solidifying its maritime supremacy.
Porbandar, Bhavnagar, Surat, and Valsad are the four shortlisted sites for the planned port-city. These locations were selected based on key factors such as proximity to deepwater access, availability of waterfront space, connectivity to robust road and rail networks, and potential to support sustainable industrial growth.
Government insiders say the strongest contender among the four sites is Maroli/Nargol in Valsad district. Bhavnagar’s strengths include its deep draught and strategic location, while Surat — located near the industrial powerhouse of Hazira — finds favour for its established infrastructure and close links to major ports and industries, making it ideal for both industrial and port-led development.
Decades-old idea
In 2013, Gujarat had first mooted the idea for the development of two port-cities at Mundra in Kutch district and Pipavav in Saurashtra, respectively. GMB had prepared a concept plan for a ₹6,000 crore, 500 sq km Mundra port-city, scheduled for completion by 2041 and capable of housing 15 lakh people. Later, the diversified conglomerate GVK Group had also proposed to build a port-city at Dahej in South Gujarat. The proposed site was thereafter shifted to Okha on the western end of the State. None of the projects took off.
Challenges
While the key hurdle is in identifying a suitable site, an even bigger challenge is in finding a 500 sq km contiguous land parcel. “We are not looking to retrofit an existing city or port. We are looking to build the entire port-city from scratch,” the C&W executive says.
Another challenging task involves the construction of a 500 MTPA port, which roughly equals the 48 existing non-major ports in Gujarat with 593 million tonnes capacity. State government officials say this is feasible as Gujarat’s cargo handling capacity has risen five times in the last 20 years. From 84 million tonnes in 2002-03, cargo handled by Gujarat’s non-major ports rose to 415 MTPA in 2022-23. However, most of it is handled by two private ports, Mundra and Pipavav.
Of the State’s 48 non-major ports, only 20 are functional, according to data tabled in the Lok Sabha in 2021.
Port-city features
The concept for developing a port-city also finds mention in GMB’s Vision 2047 document, which was released during the Vibrant Gujarat summit earlier this year. Currently boasting a ship turnaround time of 70 hours, Gujarat targets cutting it to 40 hours. The lone major port in Gujarat, Kandla, had a turnaround time of 54 hours in 2023-24, while another major port in neighbouring Maharashtra — Jawaharlal Nehru Port — comes in at an impressive 26 hours.
The development of state-of-the-art port facilities is fundamental to the success of any port-city. With the continuous increase in the size and depth of sea-going vessels, demand is set to grow for larger, deep-draught terminals with longer quays and advanced mechanisation.
Gujarat’s proposed port-city is expected to have deep-draught and multipurpose terminals, shipbuilding and repair facilities, marina, water sports and more. It will include industrial units, exim zones, warehouses, cold storage, hi-tech parks and multimodal connectivity.
Once the master plan and the location is finalised, tenders will be floated, inviting developers for the port-city.