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CHENNAI: Chennai Port Trust is planning to explore the possibility of handling coal and iron ore cargo again, which was banned by Madras High Court. A high-level expert committee set up by the apex court is studying the issues in allowing the port to handle the cargo, according to Atulya Misra, chairman of Chennai Port. Addressing the annual press meet here on Thursday, Mishra said the expert committee was expected to submit its report by July. He said the committee was formed after Chennai Port filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court to review the Madras High Court’s judgment banning the port from handling coal and iron ore in 2011, stating that it polluted the environment.Chennai Port officials said that the pollution levels that the port should adhere to could be fixed . Prior to the ban, the Chennai Port was handling around 10 million tonnes of iron ore and around eight million tonnes of coal and earning around `226 crore of revenue.Interestingly, the ban had hit the port hard and Mishra said that the port managed to survive even after the reduction of the 18 million tonnes of cargo. According to P C Parida, deputy chairman, the port had posted a provisional net surplus of `6 crore last fiscal, down from `68.06 crore in 2010-11. Mishra said the port was now looking at handling more containerised cargo, edible oil, project cargo, sugar, fertiliser and others. Despite the loss of two major cargoes, the port had earned a provisional operating income of `620 crore during the fiscal 2011-12. Rail Connectivity to Ease CongestionChennai Port is now focusing on rail connectivity to reduce road congestion and enhance the efficiency of the port, according to P C Parida. Addressing a press conference along with the chairman of Chennai Port, he said internal lines are being augmented and strengthened as part of port modernisation.“The third and fourth lines being developed by Southern Railway will significantly improve rail connectivity to hinterland,” said Parida, adding that the capacity will increase from 10 rakes to 27 rakes per day in 2014.He said four private operators Arshiya Rail Infrastructure, SICAL-Sattva Rail Terminal, Kribcho Infrastructure and Hind Terminal have shown interest to operate their own container trains.“In addition, based on requests, the operators are permitted to invest and develop rail infrastructure at Bharati Dock Railyard as common user facility to increase rail movement of the container,” Misra added. The above initiatives will improve rail share of containers from seven per cent to 30 per cent and enhance the overall efficiency of the port, he added.He also said the concession for the Mega Container Terminal planned at a cost of `3686 crore is expected to be awarded shortly. The port has re-invited the request for proposals during March 2012 and in response two bids were received.
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