The West Bengal Cabinet approved a proposal by Adani Ports to set up a deep sea port at Tajpur. The Rs 25,000 crore project will open up direct employment opportunities for 25,000 people, urban development minister Firhad Hakim said.
“Of the two companies that participated in the detailed project report, Adani Port was the highest bidder,” Hakim said, adding that the Cabinet has decided to issue a letter of intent soon. The final day for bidding was March 14. Apart from Adani Ports, JSW Infrastructure had also put forward its bid. After the financial bid was opened on March 23, there was speculation of Adani winning.
There would be an investment of Rs 15,000 crore for the port, Hakim said, and Rs 10,000 crore for infrastructure development. The state, he said, would play the role of facilitator. Apart from direct employment for 25,000 people, the greenfield port would create indirect opportunities for many more people, he added.
The development comes close on the heels of last week’s SC breather for Adani Ports, when it said it could participate in tenders floated by “public bodies”. Before that, Adani Ports had been facing multiple disqualifications from state-owned port projects.