Hopes revive after government intervenes

RAJKOT: Saurashtra-based industrialists can once again hope for an Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Rajkot, as the state government has assured them that the land rates would be revised to the cheapest ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit next month. The proposal to set up an ICD was floated by the Container Corporation of India (Concor) after signing an MoU with the state government in 2017. Setting up of the ICD in Rajkot is expected to boost trade in Saurashtra region.

Earlier, the Rajkot district administration had quoted Rs 385 crore for 1.25lakh sq m land near Khandheri stadium on Jamnagar Road.

The Concor, working under railway ministry, had objected to the land price saying that it very high and would render the ICD project unsustainable.

However, the industrialists from Saurashtra region continued to press for the ICD at Rajkot for the benefit of the industries in Rajkot, Jamnagar and Morbi.

Last week, a delegation headed by the Rajkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) had met chief minister Vijay Rupani to press for their demand for ICD. RCCI president Gautam Dhamsania said, “The CM was unaware of the high price quoted by the Rajkot district administration. He immediately called the revenue secretary to finalize a reasonable land for the ICD in Rajkot.”

Parth Ganatra, vice-president of RCCI, said, “We have been given assurance by K Kailashnathan (principal secretary to CM) that he will personally follow this matter.”

Concor had earlier written to the Rajkot district administration stating that the price of Rs 385 crore quoted for the land was exorbitant and would make the project unviable.

Concor had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government for the ICD during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit 2017 and had pledged to invest Rs 100 crore for developing the facility.

Rajkot district collector Rahul Gupta told TOI, “We don’t have power to decrease the land price. But the state government can do it. The government may give land at token price as it is a development project. In this case, the state government has to allot land for a company owned by the central government. Hence there won’t be any issue.”