Samba Dry Port

The town of Samba in Jammu is going to have the distinction of becoming the first DryPort in the State. A Dry Port means a place where merchandise is stocked and forwarded to the markets that place order for the goods which are either airlifted or carried through surface transport. In all probability, the Samba Dry Port will be able to supply goods to foreign countries in the neighbourhood. In this connection the recent visit of a high powered delegation from Dubai led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dubai Ports, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem to Jammu and Srinagar and its exchange of ideas with the State Finance Minister is considered a good beginning. Dubai Ports Group has inked a MoU with the J&K Government for a joint venture involving Rs 1,500 crore Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for setting up inland logistic hubs in Jammu and Srinagar capital cities. About one hundred acres of land near the railway station in Samba has been earmarked for conversion as Dry Port and in due course of time it will be a 500 acre area when the Dry Port begins functioning fully. Jammu and Kashmir Government will provide land as equity on 90 years lease to the company. The visit of Dubai Ports Group delegation follows the announcement made by the Finance Minister in his budget speech in the State Legislature last month about the Government’s plan to attract foreign investment by setting up dry ports in the State to boost local economy, The logistics hubs to be established in Jammu and Kashmir with maiden Foreign Direct Investment of around Rs 1,500 crore by Dubai Ports would include two Dry Ports, warehouses, cold storage chain, controlled atmospheric stores and supply chain to transport commodities and products including horticulture and agriculture produce, handicrafts and industrial products from the State directly to the markets throughout the world.
We think that this is a welcome decision and the economy of the State will find a boost. Fresh fruits and vegetables from the State will have attractive market in Dubai. There is a large Indian and Pakistani Diaspora in Dubai and apart from agricultural products, items of  handicrafts  from the State, also will find flourishing market in Dubai. If this experiment succeeds, there is every possibility that the exercise could be extended to other Gulf States including Saudi Arabia as well. In this way another commercial route will be opened to link our State with the world market.

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