ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: The government has directed officials concerned to take immediate action against land mafia in Gwadar for timely completion of the multi-billion-dollar Gwadar Deep Sea Port project.

Officials told Dawn here on Tuesday that a policy board would soon be notified to ensure integrated development of the Gwadar port and city as an industrial and commercial hub. The president has agreed to be the patron-in-chief of the proposed board that would headed by the prime minister. It would be assisted by a powerful coordination and implementation committee.

Instructions have also been issued to acquire necessary land for which the ministry of finance would release one billion rupees to the Gwadar Port Authority soon. The government was recently informed that there existed various impediments that were causing delay in the commissioning of the Gwadar Port project by June 2007.

The ministries of finance and water and power have been directed to work out a "special electricity tariff" for Gwadar to ensure viability of industrial investment. The officials concerned have been directed to establish gas, water and telephone networks for the Gwadar port by the target date of June 2007.

Adequate power is to be supplied for the port's smooth functioning and gradually increased to match the rising demand. Similarly, the port should be connected to the national grid side by side feeding it with power imported from across the border (Iran) to remove electricity shortage.

Incentives for the economic zone at Gwadar are to be decided and publicized to attract potential investors. Efforts should be made to create an investment-friendly environment to attract both local and foreign investors.

Sources said that the officials concerned were also asked to procure equipment and boats required for the port "from the Chinese without any further delay". The deepening of the port's navigation channel to 14.7 meters was also instructed to be carried out within the next 12 months.

A specialist firm or a person is to be identified and necessary actions taken to ensure smooth port operation. Steps are also to be taken to ensure the use of port through contracts and required understanding reached with major shipping lines and that the port as well as its road linkages should be completed by June 2007.

On the completion of Gwadar Port, the Afghan Transit Trade would be diverted from Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim to Gwadar port. The phase-1 of the project was likely to be completed by April 2005. And now the sources said, arrangements were being finalised to take the up the phase-2 in May 2005 at a cost of $865 million (Rs 51.9 billion).

Phase-2 will be executed by the private sector to accommodate 50,000 DWT container ships, 100,000 DWT dry bulk carriers and upto 200,000 DWT oil tanker, three container terminals (with a quay length of 2010-metre), one bulk cargo terminal (305m length), one grain-handling terminal (305m length), one twin-pier oil terminal (688m length), a breakwater (600m length), an approach channel (16m to 20m deep), back up areas, craft and equipment and building etc.

Phase-1 was currently being built by the public sector with the Chinese assistance at a revised cost of $298 million (Rs17.8 billion). It included three multipurpose berths (602m quay length, one service berth (100m length), 4.35-km navigable channel (11.6m/12.5m deep), roads, plinths and transit shed, operational craft and equipment, including navigational aids and shore-based port buildings and allied facilities.