The 77th Republic Day was celebrated in a grand and dignified manner at the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority School Grounds here on Monday.
Chairperson of V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, unfurled the National Flag and took the salute from personnel of the CISF, Port Fire Service and NCC cadets of the Port School.
Addressing the gathering, the Chairperson recalled the historic importance of January 26, marking the adoption of the Constitution of India and the country’s emergence as a sovereign republic.
He paid rich tributes to the nation’s founding leaders for their vision and steadfast leadership in shaping India’s democratic framework.
Highlighting the Port’s strong operational performance, he said the Port handled 31.97 million tonnes of cargo during the current financial year up to December 2025.
Container traffic registered a growth of 10.47 per cent, with 6,42,454 TEUs handled during 2025–26 up to date, as against 5,81,557 TEUs in the corresponding period of the previous financial year.
Referring to future expansion plans, he said bids had been invited for the Outer Harbour project, which envisages the development of two container terminals with a 1,000-metre-long quay each, 18-metre draft and a combined capacity of four million TEUs, positioning the Port as a major global maritime hub.
On sustainability initiatives, the Chairperson said the Port has launched several green projects, including a pilot green hydrogen production initiative, making it the first port in the country to undertake such a project.
He also highlighted the commissioning of a 2 MW ground-mounted solar power plant and a 6 MW wind energy project.
As part of the celebrations, the Chairperson flagged off an E-Payloader to promote sustainable and efficient operations.
He also inaugurated a new gymnasium for Port employees and an ENT workstation at the Port Hospital.
Fruits were distributed to inpatients at the hospital, reflecting the Port’s commitment to healthcare and social responsibility.
Meritorious Awards were presented to officers and staff from various departments in recognition of their dedicated service.
The celebrations were enlivened by colourful cultural performances by Port School students, coordinated drills by CISF personnel, demonstration programmes by the Port Fire Service team, and a cultural presentation by the Port Cultural Team.
