PM dedicates to nation BPCL's petro-chem complex in Kerala

Prime Minister Narendra Modi onSunday dedicated to the nation a Rs 6,000 crore petrochemicalcomplex of oil major Bharat Petroleum here and Ro-Ro vesselsof Inland Waterways at Willingdon Islands, asserting theseprojects would energise India's growth trajectory.

On a brief visit to Kerala, the Prime Minister alsoinaugurated the Cochin Port Trust's International CruiseTerminal and Cochin Shipyard's Vigyana Sagar, a campus forMarine Engineering Training Institute.

At a function here, he also laid the foundation stone ofCochin Port Trust's South Coal Berth and said these projectscovered a wide range of sectors and will energise India'sgrowth trajectory.

Referring to the Propylene Derivative PetrochemicalProject (PDPP) located close to its Kochi Refinery that willproduce Acrylic Acid, Oxo-Alcohol and Acrylates, which arepredominantly imported, at present, he said it would saveconsiderable foreign exchange every year.

Besides, a wide range of industries would gain, andemployment opportunities will be generated, he noted.

According to BPCL, these products have applications inpaints and coatings, solvents, adhesives, water treatmentchemicals, construction industry and super absorbent polymeramong others.

The two new Roll-on/Roll-off vessels, deployed betweenBolgatty and Willingdon Island on National Waterway-3, willhave the capacity to carry six 20-feet trucks, three 20-feettrailer trucks, three 40-feet trailer trucks and 30 passengerseach.

The service, operated by Inland Waterways Authority, willbenefit trade as a result of reduced transportation cost andtransit time, and will also lead to reduced congestion on theroads of Kochi, it was stated.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan,Mansukh L Mandaviya and V Muraleedharan attended the eventheld at Ambalamedu near here.