Dholera SIR to be developed on Shanghai model: Narendra Modi

Impressed by Yangshan deep water port near Shanghai, chief minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) would be developed on the Shanghai model.

The CM reached Shanghai on Thursday, a day after visiting Beijing, during which he met representatives of leading Chinese companies and also held talks with Chinese leaders. Modi, who is being accompanied by senior government officials and dozen-odd industry leaders, inspected the various technologies deployed at Yangshan port.

Located in the Yangtze River delta region, Yangshan port is the largest deep water port on China's east coast. The Shanghai International Shipping Centre started construction of the port in 2002, while operations began in December 2005.

Spread over 72 km and equipped with 16 deep water all-weather berths, the port handles over 20 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per annum.

On the third day of his China visit, Modi also met Indian families settled in Shanghai, and apprised them about the rapid development witnessed by the state in different sectors in the past 10 years.

Gujarat's 1,600-km long coastline boasts of three major ports and 45 minor ones. The state government has initiated plans to develop more than half a dozen new ports in the state.

Taking advantage of the port privatisation policy, the state has emerged as the hub of India's sea trade, accounting for 70% of the country's total cargo handled, according to officials. Modi said that Gujarat's sea coast was fast emerging as a vital link between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Gujarat is also the only state which boasts of two LNG terminals - at Hazira and Dahej. Two more LNG terminals are in the offing, according to the state government.