Bhubaneswar: The port projects on Odisha coast will be expedited, while a detailed project report will be prepared for setting up an airstrip near Dhamara port.

The decisions were taken at a meeting of officials held in the state secretariat last week. Expansion and development of four ports at Dhamara, Gopalpur, Astarang and Subarnarekha river mouth was discussed at the meeting.

Dhamara Port Company representatives were instructed to expedite the process of the second-phase expansion and finalise the third-phase expansion plan in advance.

Dhamara port, inaugurated on December 18, 2011, is operating with two berths with annual cargo-handling capacity of 25 million tonnes. The port has targeted to start container business in March this year. The port officials were also asked to prepare the detailed project report to set up an airstrip over 225 acres near the port.

Odisha chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed the state-run Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) to reserve around 1,000 acres to set up a port-based industrial park near Dhamara. The Bhadrak collector was also asked to reserve the available government land in Chandbali and Basudevpur tehsil for the purpose.

Similarly, a target was set to complete the ongoing construction of Gopalpur project in Ganjam district within June next year.

Gopalpur port commenced operation on March 29, 2013 but was subsequently shut down because of the damage caused by Phailin. After necessary repairs, the port resumed operations from December 8, 2015 and since then it has handled cargo volume of around 2 million tonnes. The port has set the target to strengthen the existing berths and construct two new berths by March next year.

The chief secretary directed the fisheries and animal resource development department to expedite the process for construction of the fishing harbour at Gopalpur in Ganjam district. It was decided to move the ministry of railways for doubling of the tracks from Chhatrapur to Gopalpur.

The meeting was informed that around 693 acres had been handed over to Subarnarekha Port Pvt Ltd to set up a port on the Subarnarekha river mouth. Padhi directed the project authorities to start ground-level construction. They were also asked to submit the detailed project report for construction of economic corridor.

Similarly, the project proponents of Astarang port were advised to take expeditious steps for obtaining environmental clearances and complete social impact assessment study through appropriate authority for construction of the port.