Tuna Port

Tuna Port is a port town in Anjar Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat State of India.

History

Tuna Port was developed during mid-eighteenth century by Rao of Cutch State.

Fateh Mohammad (1786–1813), a shepherd-turned-king, had further developed the existing facilities at Mandvi, Tuna and Lakhpat ports, when Rao Raydhanji III of Kutch was his prime minister. There is a village by same name Tuna near the port from which Tuna Port got its name.
The 1909 Map of Bombay Presidency North, shows the Cutch State Railway’s narrow gauge line connecting Bhuj with Tuna. Note there is no mention of Kandla, as it was developed only after 1930.

In year 1900-01 during the reign of Jadeja King Maharao Shri Khengarji Bawa (1875–1942), the first railway lines from Tuna Port to Anjar were laid by narrow gauge line of Cutch State Railway,a railway promoted & owned by Princely State of Cutch. The first train from Tuna Port to Anjar ran in year 1905. The line was in 1908 extended to Bhuj, then the Capital of Princely State of Cutch. This rail-line from Tuna to Anjar, no longer exists. However, there are plans to again revive the railway link again.

Later, during decade of 1930, Tuna Port lost its importance, when Maharao Shri Khengarji III of Kutch, identified the location of present the Kandla Port and developed it as a new port. A new railway line connecting Anjar to Kandla were also laid by Cutch State Railway.

After the partition and independence of India and merger of Cutch into Union of India in 1947, in 1950 Kandla Port was selected by the Government of India to be developed as major port to replace the loss of Karachi, which went to Pakistan. The Kandla Railway Station was later renamed Gandhidham after the new town of same name was developed for the re-settlement of Sindhi refugees, who migrated from Pakistan upon Partition.

Tuna Port is operated by the Kandla Port Trust. The Trust decided to develop Tuna as satellite port in Kutch as to compete with nearby privately owned Mundra Port operated by Adani Group. This is the second port after Vadinar Port to be developed by Kandla Port Trust.