The prime minister said that a new airport would be developed close to Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra at a cost estimated to be ₹76,220 crore. The prime minister was addressing the Dhule district during his visit, where he would also kick-start the campaign of Bharatiya Janata Party in the state for the upcoming assembly elections.
He was the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and BJP leader who first mooted it during his visit to the place. The PM said construction will begin once the model code of conduct of the election is withdrawn. The central government will soon hold a discussion with the state government to work out the finer details of the project. He finally declared that Vadhavan Port had acquired sanction from the Union Cabinet for its development and also declared that it would become the largest port of India by June 2024.
It will be located in Palghar district, which will be a deep draft, all weather, greenfield major port and will significantly increase trade and economic activities in that region. It shall, therefore, herald a significant employment generation and enhance the local economy.
The Special Purpose Vehicle will implement the Vadhavan Port Project, wherein Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority will own 74% of equity and Maharashtra Maritime Board will own the remaining 26%.
At the same time, PM Modi talked of big-ticket infrastructures as warranted for the country’s future and took a jibe at opposition parties which he claimed halted such projects. In this same breath, he assured of the Centre becoming more serious about India’s infrastructures, which would soon start showing good results in terms of growth. In another rally in Nashik, PM Modi also addressed concerns of onion growers regarding export policies, stating that the government revised those policies to support the farming community.