Denotifying the Minor Ports Valinokkam and Punnakayal
The Highways and Minor Ports Department, through Government Order (4D) Number 2 dated 10 November 2017, issued a notification withdrawing the Indian Ports Act, 1908 from the defined port limits of Valinokkam in Ramanathapuram District and Punnakayal in Thoothukudi District. Published by authority of the Government of Tamil Nadu on 29 November 2017, it partially modifies the department's notification dated 22 July 2009 by removing both ports and their corresponding limits.
What the notification does
The Highways and Minor Ports Department notification under Government Order (4D) Number 2 dated 10 November 2017 removes Valinokkam and Punnakayal from the ports covered by the Indian Ports Act, 1908. The withdrawal takes effect from 29 November 2017, the date on which the notification was published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.
The notification partially modifies Highways and Minor Ports Department Notification Number II(2)/HWMP/359/2009, published on 22 July 2009. It removes:
- Entry 12, Valinokkam, under Ramanathapuram District, together with its stated port limits.
- Entry 13, Punnakayal, under Thoothukudi District, together with its stated port limits.
Areas covered
Government Order (4D) Number 2 identifies the former port limits through geographic coordinates.
- Valinokkam was bounded by four points, between latitudes 9º 05’ 00” N and 9º 11’ 24” N, and longitudes 78º 38’ 30” E and 78º 43’ 00” E.
- Punnakayal was bounded by three points, between latitudes 8º 36’ 00” N and 8º 39’ 30” N, and longitudes 78º 07’ 38.2” E and 78º 15’ 00” E.
These coordinates determine the areas from which the Indian Ports Act provisions were withdrawn.
Who may be affected
Government Order (4D) Number 2 may be relevant to owners, buyers, developers, surveyors and professionals dealing with coastal property or activities within the former limits of Valinokkam or Punnakayal. It may also matter to anyone checking whether a site falls within an area previously notified as a minor port.
Points for property checks
- The change concerns the application of the Indian Ports Act, 1908 within the listed port limits.
- The document removes the two port entries from the earlier 2009 notification.
- The document does not state that land ownership changes or that development approval is granted.
- A property should be located against the published coordinates before treating the notification as relevant to that site.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Are Valinokkam and Punnakayal still covered as minor ports under this notification?
No. The notification withdraws the Indian Ports Act, 1908 from the specified limits of Valinokkam and Punnakayal from 29 November 2017.
Does the notification transfer ownership of land within the former port limits?
No land transfer is stated. The document only withdraws the provisions of the Indian Ports Act, 1908 from the defined port areas.
How can I tell whether my property falls within an affected area?
The notification defines the former port limits using geographic coordinates for Valinokkam and Punnakayal. The property's location would need to be compared with those coordinates.
Did the notification cancel the entire 2009 ports notification?
No. It partially modifies the Highways and Minor Ports Department notification dated 22 July 2009 by removing only the entries for Valinokkam and Punnakayal and their corresponding limits.
