RIL to expand Jamnagar SEZ by over 1,000 hectare
The company has applied to the commerce department to expand its multi-product SEZ which will cover a landscape of about 2,800 hectare.
By Amiti Sen & G Ganapathy Subramaniam, TNN |
NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries (RIL), which is creating the largest petroleum-hub in the world at Jamnagar with its latest refinery and petrochemical complex, now wants to expand its special economic zone (SEZ) by more than 1,000 hectare.
The company has applied to the commerce department to expand its multi-product SEZ which will cover a landscape of about 2,800 hectare. The company is in talks with the railways to build an underpass and take care of the contiguity clause for the additional land already in its possession. The proposal is to be taken up by the board of approval (BOA) for SEZs on Wednesday.
In its application to BoA, RIL stated that it proposes to expand its SEZ size by accumulating additional land parcel to the extent of 1,050 hectare. However, there is a thoroughfare and a railway line passing through the part of additional land proposed to be included in the SEZ. The developers assured they will maintain contiguity by constructing under passes and security gates.
While RIL has already sought the permission of railways to construct the underpass, it said that it will start construction on the additional land only after getting permission from BoA.
The contiguity clause was relaxed for RIL when it decided to expand its Jamnagar SEZ, which was originally a petrochemical SEZ, into a multi-product SEZ. BoA gave clearance to the proposal after the developers agreed to build the requisite number of railway overbridges, road overbridges and underpasses to link the two plots.
With the government now considering lifting the ceiling of 5,000 hectare on multi-product SEZs on a case-to-case basis, proposals for expansion of existing SEZs and relaxation of contiguity clause is expected from several multi-product SEZs. Although, of the 32 multi-product SEZs approved so far, only five developers have expressed interest in acquiring land larger than the 5,000 hectare. Such demands could come up once case-to-case approvals are considered by BoA, officials feel.
BoA will also consider nine new proposals for SEZs in its next meeting. The board was to meet last month but was postponed to December 12.
The company has applied to the commerce department to expand its multi-product SEZ which will cover a landscape of about 2,800 hectare. The company is in talks with the railways to build an underpass and take care of the contiguity clause for the additional land already in its possession. The proposal is to be taken up by the board of approval (BOA) for SEZs on Wednesday.
In its application to BoA, RIL stated that it proposes to expand its SEZ size by accumulating additional land parcel to the extent of 1,050 hectare. However, there is a thoroughfare and a railway line passing through the part of additional land proposed to be included in the SEZ. The developers assured they will maintain contiguity by constructing under passes and security gates.
While RIL has already sought the permission of railways to construct the underpass, it said that it will start construction on the additional land only after getting permission from BoA.
The contiguity clause was relaxed for RIL when it decided to expand its Jamnagar SEZ, which was originally a petrochemical SEZ, into a multi-product SEZ. BoA gave clearance to the proposal after the developers agreed to build the requisite number of railway overbridges, road overbridges and underpasses to link the two plots.
With the government now considering lifting the ceiling of 5,000 hectare on multi-product SEZs on a case-to-case basis, proposals for expansion of existing SEZs and relaxation of contiguity clause is expected from several multi-product SEZs. Although, of the 32 multi-product SEZs approved so far, only five developers have expressed interest in acquiring land larger than the 5,000 hectare. Such demands could come up once case-to-case approvals are considered by BoA, officials feel.
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BoA will also consider nine new proposals for SEZs in its next meeting. The board was to meet last month but was postponed to December 12.
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