Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports

to the Economy and the Road Ahead

N Bhanu Prakash* and B V Ramalingeswara Rao**

The economic development of a nation depends on several factors, and

a developed infrastructure sector is one of the key determinants.
21st century has mandated adequate investments by the government and
private sectors in the infrastructure sector for sustainable economic
development. Economic liberalization has allowed a free flow of
investments across the world, and Multi-National Corporations (MNCs)
are looking for safe avenues for easy investment and expansion. One of
their primary issues of concern is obviously the status of infrastructure
in the target country. India, being a favorable destination for investments
from MNCs, attracts huge exports and imports. Port infrastructure is one
of the key indicators of sound infrastructural setup of a country. Ports are
the gateway for foreign trade and developed port facilities provide a
platform for smooth exports and imports. Around 13 major and over 190
non-major ports in India contribute to around 95% in volume and 75%
in value to Indian foreign trade. The substandard performance of Indian
ports, in comparison to their counterparts, affects business. The present
study aims to track the progress and advancements made by the Indian
ports and their future scope for development. It also highlights the inherent
constraints in the development of Indian ports and suggests certain
pertinent measures to enhance the functioning of this key sector.

Introduction
The Indian economy is one of the fast growing economies in the world and is spearheading
to become an economic power from the developing countries bloc. With a Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth rate of 6%-8% recorded successively, India is able to attract huge
investments from across the world. As a potential market for investment, India has multiple
advantages like untapped markets, enormous natural resources, skilled workforce, conducive
*

Assistant Professor (Senior Scale), University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakand, India.
E-mail: bhanuprakash75@gmail.com
** Academic Coordinator, Indian Maritime University, Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
E-mail: profbhavana@gmail.com
56
2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

legal framework, strong government support for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), etc., that
make it a safe destination for investments. At the same time, its financial system is well
supported by strong, at times conservative policies of the Reserve Bank of India, which have
insulated the Indian economy from frequent economic shocks affecting the economies across
the world.
One of the key requirements for FDI inflows is the sound infrastructural setup that exists
in a country. The Indian government, after independence, has taken the responsibility of
investing in the social and physical infrastructure so as to dispense the benefits to one and
all. Public utilities like railways, roadways, airways, ports and shipping, telegraph, telephone
etc. were all developed and run by the public sector. All these are capital-intensive industries
and private sector in India at that time had limited financial resources. The infrastructure
sector was started by the government on service lines, worked on a nonprofit basis and was
aimed at achieving social benefit.
However, by the end of the 20th century, most of these industries went into losses and
became counterproductive for the nation and its development. The obvious choice available
was to consider private participation into these sectors. The government, on its side, was
also facing numerous political and economic challenges during the same time. India had
a tough time handling the depleting foreign exchange, dwindling economic outlook and
uncertain political conditions in the country. Public confidence in the financial system was
also at its lowest ebb as the country by then had seen multiple scams and scandals, adversely
affecting the investor confidence.
Taking cue from the World Bank in 1991, the Indian Government initiated the
Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) program. The aim of LPG was to slowly
relax the statutory norms, liberalize the legal framework and relax the tax norms so as to
make the Indian markets attractive for private investments. The New Industrial Policy, 1991
made the government take a U turn in its approach regarding the private sector participation
towards nation building. Sectors that were hitherto reserved for public sector were opened
up for private investment. Liberalized norms in approvals, relaxed procedures and simplified
tax mechanism were the highlights of the New Industrial Policy, 1991 which attracted private
investments in India. At the same time, attracting FDIs into the infrastructure sector was
also imperative for the growth of the nation. The government, sensing this obligation, has
relaxed the norms in a phased manner, making India a favorable destination for FDIs in the
infrastructure sector. The availability of adequate and strong infrastructure facilities makes
the manufacturing and other sectors more productive. Multi-National Corporations (MNCs)
look for infrastructure facilities available in a country before investing.
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

57

Objective of the Study

The objective of the study is to track the progress and advancements made by the Indian
ports, and forecast on the future scope, prospects and requirements of the major ports to
withstand the competitive market environment..

Infrastructure Sector
Infrastructure is a compound word that includes two words: Infra and Structure (Dash, 2008).
Infra means that which lies beneath. Infrastructure means that which lies beneath the
structure. Infrastructure services are not directly productive. They support the undertaking of
various production activities, but are not directly used as goods for final use. Infrastructure
contributes to the economic development both by increasing the productivity and providing
amenities which enhance the quality of life (Dash, 2008). Infrastructure sector covers a wide
spectrum of services that directly impact the working of a business enterprise and are
important from the social point of view. Infrastructure represents the wheel of economic
progress. Good infrastructure raises productivity and lowers production cost. Infrastructure
adequacy helps to determine success in diversifying production, expanding trade, coping with
population growth, reducing poverty and improving environmental conditions. Infrastructure
is central to the basic patterns of demand and supply and to the economys ability to respond
to changes in prices or endowments of other resources. The ultimate goal of infrastructure
policy is to effectively deliver infrastructural services of high quality at low prices to
households and firms in the country.
There is no universally acceptable definition for the word Infrastructure and many
individuals and committees have given their own definitions for this term. The Oxford
Dictionary has defined it as The basic structural foundation of an economy, important
examples being power, telecommunication and transportation. Infrastructure basically includes
public utility services, such as roads, bridges, airports, railways, ports, inland waterways,
highways, water supply, sanitation and sewage, irrigation, power generation and distribution,
schools, banking, insurance, and many other activities that support the public life.
Narindar Jetli and Sethi (2007), have differentiated it as economic infrastructure and
social infrastructure. Accordingly, the economic infrastructure includes: energy (electricity,
coal, and oil and gas), transport (railways, roads, ports, civil aviation), telecommunications
(including posts), special economic zones, urban infrastructure (water supply, sewerage,
drainage, city roads) and rural infrastructure. Social infrastructure includes: human
development and social security, poverty and poverty alleviation programs, health and family
welfare, education and training, labor employment and welfare, empowerment of women
and empowerment of socially disadvantaged groups.
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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

The Indian Infrastructure Report by Rakesh Mohan Committee (1996) included electricity,
gas, water supply, telecom, roads, industrial parks, railways, ports, airports, urban infrastructure,
and storage as infrastructure. Except industrial parks and urban infrastructure, all these sub-sectors
are treated by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) as infrastructure.
The empowered sub-committee of the Committee on Infrastructure has included the
following in the broad definition of infrastructure:

Electricity (including generation, transmission and distribution) and Renovation &

Modernization (R&M) of power stations

Non-conventional energy (including wind energy and solar energy)

Water supply and sanitation (including solid waste management, drainage and
sewerage) and street lighting.

Telecommunications
Roads and bridges
Ports
Inland waterways
Airports
Railways (including rolling stock and mass transit system)
Irrigation (including watershed development)
Storage
Oil and gas pipeline networks
From the above definitions, it is evident that infrastructure is the basis for the overall
development of any country and that no government can ignore its significance for economic
development.

Trends in Infrastructure Development in India

The Indian economy has seen infrastructure development even before the British rule in India,
with good canal irrigation system in the Gangetic areas. In South India, Hindu and Muslim
rulers built most of the roads. Some charitable dispensaries of the Aruvedic and Unani type
of public health system were prevailing which included a very small segment of the
population. However, these facilities were available to only certain pockets in the society.
British rule in India saw the dawn of infrastructure development, at least, that benefitted
the British most. For the first time, Lord Dalhousie laid the foundation for a long-range policy
of building a countrywide network of railways and developed the modern infrastructure sector.
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

59

By the end of their rule, the British have laid a railway line of 65,000 km for the undivided
India. An important issue to note here is that most of the infrastructural development initiated
during the British rule was for the benefit of the British administration in India.

Infrastructure Development in Independent India

The government of independent India, to achieve speedy economic development, took the
responsibility of developing the infrastructure sector and concentrated on roads, transportation
network, communication, education, banking and insurance, water supply, etc., as these were
essential for the growth of the nation. This was obligatory as the gestation period for these
investment projects was long, and the private sector during that period had little financial
resources, the returns expected were in lower order spread over a long time. The risk involved
in these projects was very high and private sector was not in a position to bear the risk. The
government through the five-year plans and industrial policies has set targets for itself for the
development of infrastructure in India. These were very well supported by the budgetary
allocations for these sectors. However, the development in the infrastructure sector was too
far from satisfaction. Underdevelopment of infrastructure in comparison to the targets can be
attributed to many reasons like wavering political setup, bureaucratic bottlenecks, long period
of inaction by the government, lack of service orientation, inadequate investments, long
gestation period, lack of support from private enterprises, low support from the public to
safeguard the infrastructure, lack of mechanization and so on. It is also constrained by the
existence of externalities which make it difficult for infrastructure entities to recoup investment
costs and operational expenses through the levy of user charges.
By the late 1980s, most of the public sector organizations, including the infrastructure
sector, have through their performances vindicated that government investments and efforts
alone cannot create a right infrastructural environment in the country. In the early 1990s,
the situation went out of control for the government as the public sector become
counterproductive and was on the verge of collapse.
However, policy change in the of Government of Indias approach in 1991 gave a new
ray of hope for the augmentation of the infrastructure sector. Opening the doors for private
and foreign investment into the sector by government has given a fresh impetus to the sector
in the economy. Relaxation of the norms, procedures and simplified tax rules along with
elimination of the license raj has given a good opportunity to the private sector to invest into
this arena. FDI of up to 100% has been allowed in most of the industries in this sector in
a phased manner. The private sector is allowed to compete with the public sector industries.
All these developments have given a greater opportunity for the development of the
infrastructure sector in India. Table 1 indicates how privatization of infrastructure has given
impetus to the sector.
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Table 1: Performance of Infrastructure from 1980-81 to 1999-2000

S. No.

Sector

1980-81
to

1992-93
to

1991-92

1999-2000

1.

Power: Electricity Generation

8.8

6.7

2.

Railways: Railway Revenue Earning Goods Traffic

4.8

3.9

Passenger Kilometers

3.9

4.1

3.

Ports: Cargo Handled at Major Ports

6.1

7.1

4.

Civil Aviation: Cargo Handled at AAI Airports

6.5

15.1

Passengers Handled at AAI Airports

6.0

10.2

Roads: Length of Roads

3.6

0.7

Length of National Highways

0.5

0.6

19.0

27.1

5.

6.

Telecommunications: New Telephone Connections

Provided (New Exchange Lines)

Note: Average annual growth rates in percentage.

Source: Economic Survey (2000-2001, p. 171)

Port Infrastructure in India

The major ports witnessed many ups and downs in the growth pattern of traffic during the
last five decades. But the thirst for upsurge in achieving new heights in traffic handling is
Table 2: Traffic Growth at Major Ports From 1950 to 2010
Year

Traffic (in Million Tons)

CAGR* (%)

1950-1951

20.10

1959-1960

31.50

5.12

1969-1970

54.43

5.62

1979-1980

77.59

3.61

1989-1990

147.58

6.64

1999-2000

271.92

6.64

2009-2010

561.09

7.51

Period
1951-2010

60 Years

5.80

1992-2010

Post-Liberalized Era

7.31

2006-2010

Last Five Years

7.28

2006-2008

Excluding Recession Period

10.73

Note: * Compound Annual Growth Rate.

Source: Maritime Agenda 2010-2020, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

61

still continuing. Table 2 and Figure 1 represent the progress made by major ports in India.
The overall Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of traffic at major ports from
1950-51 to 2009-10 has been 5.80%, and during the post-liberalization period i.e., from
1991-92 to 2009-10, the CAGR reported was 7.31%. If the CAGR for traffic growth at major
ports for the last five years is considered, it was 7.28%, whereas it was 10.73% if the traffic
is taken for the three years before the global economic recession from 2008-09 to
2009-10, which is the highest growth rate since 1960.

Traffic Growth (Million Tons)

Figure 1: Traffic Growth at Major Ports

600

561.09

500
400
271.92

300
200

147.58

100
20.1
0

31.5

1950-51 1959-60

54.43
1969-70

77.59

1979-80

1989-90

1999-00

2009-10

Years
Source: Maritime Agenda 2010-2020, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India

One of the key areas in the infrastructure sector is the Port and Shipping Industry. Ports play
a vital role in the foreign trade of a nation. The significance of maritime infrastructure in
facilitating international trade has been recognized all over the world. Ports are the gateway
for exports and imports of the industry in a country. Developed port infrastructure is
reflected in quicker exports and imports for the country. Supportive facilities like custom
clearances, loading and unloading, hinterland connectivity, port facilities, etc., would make
the foreign trade process smoother and easier. At the same time, issues like ability to handle
turnkey equipment, customized products, different types of items, would give an edge to
the ports.
Ports in India have been under the government control for a long time and this sector was
reserved for only the government investment. Ports in India were directly under the Central
Government and were run as per the directions of the Ministry of Shipping. India had 12 major
ports across the coast line of 7,517 kms with a global merchandise trade of 0.75%. The major
ports are all set up under trusts exercising both statutory and commercial functions.
Developments in the International Port and Shipping Sector raise both threats and
opportunities to the Indian Port and Shipping sector (Maritime Agenda, 2011).
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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

The details about the performance of major ports from 1997-98 to 2009-10 are given
in the Appendix.
The reforms initiated have resulted in a significant improvement in port performance,
but the fact remains that the performance is still far below the standard compared to other
ports in Asia. The problem may be due to ineffective utilization of the real berth capacities.
The Indian ports are traditionally human-intensive and equipment use on berths is extremely
low. This results in high turnaround times for vessels as most of the other ports depend
on high mechanization processes. Further, low productivity of equipment and labor contribute
to high handling costs for cargo and containers. These factors inhibit major shipping lines
from bringing mother container ships for handling at Indian ports, adding to the transport
costs of exports and imports. Apart from this, many Indian ports also suffer from draft
limitations, resulting in slow turnover times for vessels. All this has resulted in higher
transport costs, undermining Indias exports.
With the infusion of new technology and capacity building, the congestion at Indian
ports that was experienced during the 1990s has drastically reduced in most places and the
operational efficiency also improved leading to the capacities being marginally ahead of
demand. However, with the projected growth of traffic and growing containerization, there
is a pressing demand for expanding the capacities in the sector through investment from
both public and private sectors.
Port capacity can be enhanced sharply through better management, operations and private
concessions. With minor ports working on a par with major ports, the regulatory power of
Tariff Authority of Major Ports (TAMP) should be extended to cover minor ports so that
distortions between major and minor ports can be effectively resolved. Reforms need to be
initiated in such a manner that the regulatory mechanism is kept at distance from the political
structure and pressures. Integration of economy with other countries ensures the effective
use of the existing port and transport facilities, leading to the development of new ports
which are economically sound and financially attractive.

Performance Analysis of Indian Ports

An analysis of the performance by major ports during the years 2008-09 and 2009-10 is
shown in Figures 2 and 3, which depict the share of principle commodities handled at major
ports during the financial year 2008-09 and 2009-2010. From the figures it is evident that
there is a marginal growth of 30,557 tons in the traffic handled in the year 2009-10, compared
to 2008-09. One of the prime reasons for this could be the economic slowdown in the world
economy. In 2009-10, while Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant (POL) products and finished
fertilizers traffic has shown a decline, at the same time traffic relating to iron ore, raw
fertilizers, container and others has shown a considerable increase. However, thermal and
coking coal traffic has shown only a marginal growth.
For further analysis, traffic information about cargo, container, and vessel at the major
ports is considered, as their movement impacts the performance of Indian ports in a major
way.
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

63

Figure 2: Share of Principal Commodities Handled at Major Ports During 2008-2009

Total Traffic
530,533 Tons

In 000 Tons

78,593
15%

POL
176,138
33%

Iron Ore
Fin. Fert.
Fert. Raw

93,140
18%

Thermal Coal
Coking Coal
Container

27,098
5%
43,301
8% 6,074 12,153
2%
1%

94,036
18%

Others

Sources: Adapted from Major Ports of India: A Profile (2009 2010), published by Indian Ports Association

Figure 3: Share of Principal Commodities Handled at Major Ports During 2009-2010

95,008
17%

Total Traffic
561,090 Tons

In 000 Tons

175,081
31%

POL
Iron Ore
Fin. Fert.

101,242
18%

Fert. Raw
Thermal Coal
Coking Coal

28,334
5%
43,375
8%

Container
100,333
18%
6,778
1%

Others

10,939
2%

Sources: Adapted from Major Ports of India: A Profile (2009 2010), published by Indian Ports Association

Cargo Traffic
From Figure 4, it can be observed that while all ports have seen a rise in the cargo traffic,
Haldia port has seen a decline in the cargo traffic. The main reason being congestion at
this port and a very high average pre-berthing time. Kolkata port also has the problem of
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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

Figure 4: Cargo Traffic at Major Ports (2009-10 and 2008-09)

90,000

Cargo Traffic (000 Tons)

80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000

Overall Traffic
2009-10 561,090
2008-09 530,533

Year 2009-10

Kandla

JNPT

Mumbai

Mormugao

New Mangalore

Cochin

Tuticorin

Chennai

Ennore

Vishakapatnam

Paradip

Haldia

Kolkata

10,000

Year 2008-09

congestion. Ports like Ennore, Cochin and Kolkata have not even handled 20,000,000 tons
of cargo. While Kandla port leads with 80,000,000 tons of cargo traffic, Vishakapatanam
and Chennai ports are giving a tough competition to Kandla port. Jawaharlal Nehru Port
Trust (JNPT) is fast growing and is posing a threat to the bigger ports.

Container Traffic
From Figure 5, it is quite obvious that JNPT is leading in the container traffic in India. Chennai
port at second position is way behind JNPT, and other major ports need to take up some
concrete measures to pick up and stand good in container traffic. This is imperative for these
ports as the containerization of traffic is the order of the international trade.

Vessel Traffic
Figure 6 depicts the information on the vessel traffic (in number) handled by the Indian
major ports. It shows that JNPT and Kandla ports are the forerunners. In fact, Kandla port
has seen a higher jump in vessel handling than JNPT in 2009-10. On a performance
comparison, Haldia, Tuticorin and Paradip ports have seen a slight decline in vessel
handling in 2009-10, compared to 2008-09. For New Mangalore port there is no variation
in the vessel traffic handled. Ennore port, being the youngest of all is the only port struggling
in this section.
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

65

Figure 5: Container Traffic at Major Ports (2009-10 and 2008-09)

50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000

Year 2009-10

Kandla

JNPT

Mumbai

Mormugao

New Mangalore

Cochin

Tuticorin

Chennai

Vishakapatnam

Kolkata

Paradip

10,000
Haldia

Container Traffic
(000 Tons)

60,000

Year 2008-09

Figure 6: Vessel Traffic at Major Ports (2009-10 and 2008-09)

3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000

Year 2009-10

Kandla

JNPT

Mumbai

Mormugao

New Mangalore

Cochin

Tuticorin

Chennai

Ennore

Vishakapatnam

Paradip

Haldia

500
Kolkata

Vessel Traffic (in Nos.)

3,500

Year 2008-09

Major Initiatives of the Ministry of Shipping

To improve traffic movement at the major ports, the Ministry of Shipping has come out
with an action plan by declaring the Maritime Agenda 2011 which is aimed at
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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

developing the port and shipping sectors in India. This is in line with the expected growth
in shipping in India. They have come out with plans aimed at developing each of the
major ports in India. The agenda for each of the ports is as follows (Maritime Agenda,
2011):

Kolkata Port
To catch up with the completion, Kolkata port is planning the installation of transloading
facilities, commissioning of the Diamond Harbor container terminal by 2013-14, and
development of the Saugor Island by 2014-15 to improve its performance in container traffic.

Haldia Port
Commissioning of two riverine jetties by 2012-13, and development of port facilities at
Haldia Dock II (Shalukhali) by 2014-15, construction of other four riverine jetties, and
mechanization of cargo handling facilities.

Paradip Port
Deepening of channel by 2011-12, construction of oil jetty by 2013, development of
multipurpose berth on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis by 2014, and installation
of 2nd and 3rd Single Point Mooring (SPM) by M/s. Indian Oil Corporation by 2012-13, and
modernization of iron ore berth by 2011-12.

Visakhapatnam Port
Projected increase in coking coal traffic due to expansion of Bhilai Steel Plant and Rashtriya
Ispat Nigam Ltd. etc., and an anticipated increase in the import of steam coal by various
power plants in the hinterland of the port, deepening the entrance channel by 2012, and
expansion of the outer harbor by 2017.

Ennore Port
Development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and coal terminal, expansion of the outer harbor
stage II and the development of container terminal.

Chennai Port
Construction of mega container terminal by 2017, modernization of Jawahar dock, and
construction of one liquid cargo and one general cargo berth by 2013. After commissioning
of iron ore handling capacity at Ennore in the year 2010-11, the iron ore traffic of Chennai
port is expected to be shifted to Ennore port and the existing iron ore berth to be converted
as container terminal.

Tuticorin Port
Upgradation of the mechanized handling infrastructure and conversion of one berth to
container terminal.
Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

67

Cochin Port
A major growth in traffic and capacity expansion has been projected in container and POL
traffic. The share of container traffic is projected to rise from the present level of 22.54%
to 34.99% in 2016-17, followed by shifting of container vessels to the International Container
Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam.

New Mangalore Port

Commissioning of one fertilizer berth by 2015, one 6 million ton coking coal berth by 2015,
installation of Single Buoy Mooring (SBM) facilities for POL traffic by 2015 and setting up
of one oil berth by 2012.

Mormugao Port
Construction of one 8 million ton iron ore berth by 2015 and further development of iron
ore terminal by 2017 and 2019. Other developments include deepening of the channel,
construction of one liquid berth, coal berth and container berth.

Mumbai Port
Addition of a capacity of about 18 million tons after commissioning of the 5th oil Berth
at Jawahar Deep by 2014, development of offshore container terminal and multipurpose cargo
berth by 2019-20, etc.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port

Deepening of the channel, construction of berths under BOT basis and replacement of old
container handling equipment. Also, the present level of handling 2% to 3% of empty
container due to post effect of global recession will soon be over and the possibility to handle
more loaded containers is expected to increase.

Kandla Port
Construction of two products handling jetties and one SBM by 2014-15, mechanization of
general cargo berth, setting up of offshore liquid terminal, development of dry bulk terminal,
construction of multipurpose berth by 2012-13 and modification and strengthening of the
existing berths 1 to 6 by 2015-16.

Port Blair Port

The capacity of the port is expected to remain at the same level of 4.115 million tons
(as on March 31, 2010) to 4.115 million tons in 2016-17 and 2019-20.
Major ports in India need to play a dominant role in the development of the Indian port
sector and need to be proactive in their endeavor for the economic growth of India.

Conclusion
From the study, it is evident that most of the major ports have shown enhanced performance
in handling different types of traffic over the years. It may be noted that ports like Haldia
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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

and Kolkata have shown low performance due to congestion as evident from the pre-berthing
time at these ports.
It is also evident that with the exception of JNPT, all other ports have not performed
in the container handling. JNPT is a dedicated port in handling the container traffic, but
other ports need to take measures to increase the infrastructure to handle container traffic.
This is imperative as the world trade is moving towards containerization and at the same
time private ports like Mundra port and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) are well equipped
to handle container traffic. Vessels handled by major ports need to be increased drastically
as these are no match compared to other ports in the world.
Inadequate infrastructure facilities at major ports hamper the progress of the ports in India.
Government and the management trusts of the major ports need to initiate steps to develop
the ports in these areas. Options like involving private investments in port facilities
maintenance, terminal and berth developments initiated through Public Private Partnership
(PPP) must be hastened for better results. The already awarded BOT projects must be judged
on the basis of their performance.
Hinterland connectivity is another major constraint in the progress of ports in India.
The Golden Quadrilateral project has given an opportunity to the transportation logistics
to develop and cater to the requirements of markets. Ports need to take advantage of these
developments to expand their markets by creating adequate marketing opportunities among
the exporting and importing community.

Bibliography
1. Dash L N (2008), Infrastructure Development and the Indian Economy, Regal Publications.
2. Maritime Agenda: 2010-2020 (2011), Ministry of Shipping, Government of India.
3. Narindar Jetli K and Sethi V (2007), Infrastructure Development in India: PostLiberalization Initiatives and Challenges, New Century Publications.
4. Rakesh Mohan Committee (1997), India Infrastructure Report : Policy Imperative for
Growth and Welfare, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Infrastructure in India: Contribution of Ports to the Economy and the Road Ahead

69

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The IUP Journal of Infrastructure, Vol. IX, No. 4, 2011

13,302

36,014

Paradip

Vishakapatnam

Total

40,637

11,723

30,970

46,303

14,976

30,412

18,226

17,601

12,797

9,993

37,443

39,510

13,636

20,713

10,313

199900

281,105

36,741

18,575

27,063

19,628

17,891

13,117

12,284

41,220

44,685

19,901

22,842

7,158

200001

40,633

26,844

26,796

23,649

21430

13,024

13,294

33,687

8,485

46,006

23,901

28,603

7,201

200203

41,523

31,190

29,995

27,874

26,673

13,572

13,678

36,710

9,277

47,736

25,311

32,567

8,693

200304

41,551

32,808

35,187

30,659

33,891

14,095

15,811

43,806

9,480

50,147

30,104

36,262

9,945

200405

45,907

37,836

44,190

31,688

34,451

13,887

17,139

47,248

9,168

55,801

33,109

42,337

10,806

200506

287,589 313,553 344,799 383,746 423,567

37,738

22,521

26,433

22,928

17,501

12,057

13,017

36,115

3,401

44,344

21,131

25,029

5,374

200102

64,920

55,838

57,038

35,128

36,019

15,810

21,480

57,154

11,563

64,597

42,438

43,588

13,741

200708

463,782 519,314

52,982

44,815

52,364

34,241

32,042

15,257

18,001

53,414

10,714

56,385

38,517

42,454

12,596

200607

Source: Maritime Agenda 2010-2020, Ministry of Shipping, Government of India (2011).

251,659 251,720 271,923

38,901

32,097

Mumbai

Kandla

18,020

21,182

Mormugao

8,895

14,206

New Mangalore 15,282

JNPT

12,665

12,324

Cochin

10,150

9,974

Tuticorin

35,201

35,531

35,653

13,108

20,224

9,163

199899

Chennai

20,205

Haldia

Ennore

7,952

199798

Kolkata

Port

Overall Traffic Handled by Major Ports From 199798 to 200910

Appendix

530,533

72,225

57,291

51,876

41,681

36,691

15,228

22,011

57,491

11,500

63,908

46,412

41,791

12,428

200809

561,090

79,500

60,763

54,541

48,847

35,528

17,429

23,787

61,057

10,703

65,501

57,011

33,378

13,045

200910

(in 000 Tons)

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