With severe beach erosion shrinking the shoreline and raising public concern, Visakhapatnam Port Turst has decided to undertake beach nourishment near Kursura Submarine Museum next month.
The port will take a final decision on awarding the contract after the last date for submission of tenders expires on February 13. Since early 1970s, the port has been doing nourishment of the beach every year.
“So far we have been doing near the Coast Battery. Keeping in view the collapse of sidewalk and wall near Kursura this year we have decided to take up nourishment near the submarine museum during March as the timing is considered ideal for such activity,” Visakhapatnam Port Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu told The Hindu.
Dredging Corporation of India undertook the dredging last year by laying a floating pipeline adopting rainbow method with the help of trailer suction hopper dredger Dredge-21 leading to formation of an island near RK Beach. The island became a bit hit drawing huge crowds with its pictures going viral on social networking sites.
Mr. Krishna Babu said this year’s beach nourishment would involve around Rs.9 crore by pumping an estimated 2.5 lakh cubic metres from the Sand Trap created between the Dolphin’s Nose and Breakwater. “If we get more sand that will also be used for nourishment,” he said.
Gangavaram Port has also been told to take up nourishment on the Yarada side. Following Hudhud and formation of multiple systems in the Bay of Bengal and massive rise in constructions on the beachfront, the incidence of coastal erosion on Visakhapatnam-Bheemunipatnam beach road is on the rise.
Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of National Institute of Oceanography has estimated loss of sand from the Visakhapatnam coast post-Hudhud and other factors at around five lakh tonnes. A committee set up by the Government is studying short-term and long-term measures to fight the threat caused by sea surge and erosion on the beachfront.
