Maharashtra: PM Modi to lay foundation for Vadhavan Port in Dahanu on August 30

MUMBAI: PM Narendra Modi will lay the foundation of the Vadhavan Port in Dahanu taluka of Palghar district on Aug 30. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Thurs reviewed the preparations at Vadhavan, ahead of the PM’s visit.The Cabinet in June approved the development of a major greenfield port at Vadhavan. The port will be developed in two phases and will have a cumulative capacity to handle 298 tonne cargo per annum. The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) signed a memorandum of understanding on June 5, 2015, for the development of Vadhavan Port in Dahanu taluka, an economically fragile zone.Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde early this month reviewed the port project and said that the interests of locals will be taken into account. The fishing, farming, and tribal communities have been protesting against the project as they were worried about the direct impact of the port on their livelihood.