272 Road and Rail Projects Underway Under Sagarmala Scheme: Sonowal

A total of 272 road and rail connectivity projects are being implemented under the Sagarmala Programme by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Railways, major ports, and private sector concessionaires, the Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal stated that of these 272 projects, 74 have been completed, 67 are currently under implementation, and 131 are at various stages of development.

At the apex of the Sagarmala framework, a National Sagarmala Apex Committee has been established to provide overall policy direction, ensure high-level coordination, and review the planning and implementation of various projects under the programme. Additionally, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways convenes meetings of the Maritime States Development Council (MSDC) periodically to foster collaboration among key stakeholders, including central ministries and state governments, Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha.

As part of the Sagarmala Programme, a total of 839 projects have been identified for implementation, with an estimated investment of around ₹5.79 lakh crore. Of these, 119 projects, worth ₹2.42 lakh crore, are being executed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, while the remaining projects are being implemented through direct government funding under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode, the minister added.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has revised the Sagarmala Funding Guidelines to enhance financial discipline and expedite the implementation of projects funded under the Sagarmala Scheme, Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha.

Responding to a separate question, Sonowal also stated that the ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to set up a Digital Centre of Excellence (DCoE) for the Indian maritime sector. The DCoE aims to drive digital transformation through cutting-edge IT solutions, promote innovation, and support the modernisation of the port and shipping industry.

The government has launched the SAGAR SETU digital platform to enhance operational efficiency, improve productivity, and streamline the ease of doing business in India’s ports and shipping sector, Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha. The platform is designed to facilitate seamless EXIM (export-import) services by significantly reducing vessel and cargo documentation time through faster, paperless processes.

To ensure consistency in port tariffs across the country, the government has also introduced a standardised Scale of Rates (SOR) template. This framework provides uniform definitions, standardised conditions, a consistent structure for categorising various port services, and a transparent method for presenting tariffs, the minister added.

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