Southern States - Karnataka   

Rs. 6-cr. project to extend Mangalore port approved

By Our Staff Correspondent

Kundapur (Udupi Dt.) April 9. The Minister of State for Ports and Fisheries, Vasanth V. Salian, on Wednesday said the State Cabinet had given its approval for the extension of the commercial port in Mangalore at a cost of Rs. 6 crore.

He told presspersons here that the amount would be spent on the construction of a jetty and on dredging. The Government was considering a proposal to seek loans from Hudco for dredging at all ports and fisheries harbours.

A sum of Rs. 20 crore was required for the work at the Karwar commerical port. It was not difficult to repay loans taken for work at commercial ports, as they earned good revenue. But it was different in the case of fisheries harbours. Giving an example, Mr. Salian said that if the Government spent Rs. 6 crore on the Mangalore commercial port, it would generate an annual revenue of Rs. 1.6 crore.

For taking up dredging, the Government would give priority to Karwar and Honnavar, as many big ships had refused to dock there because of sand accumulation. A sum of Rs. 20 crore was required for dredging at the Honnavar port, Mr. Salian said.

A proposal for the construction of a jetty at Kodi near Kundapur at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh would be sent to the Union Government for its approval after getting a project report on the jetty prepared by the NITK, Surathkal.

Mr. Salian said he would take up the issue at a meeting on April 22.

A sum of Rs. 60 lakh had been spent on the construction of the Rs. 8.32-crore Gangolli jetty. So far, 20 per cent of the work, which included the construction of a stretch of 80 m. of the 400-m. jetty, had been completed. The work began on February 28 this year, and would be completed in March 2005. When completed, the jetty would accommodate 350 boats. If manganese mining began at Byndoor, a commercial port would be developed at Gangolli, Mr. Salian said.

The Second Stage of the Malpe port, the Second Stage of the Old Mangalore port, and the Hejmady-Kody port and bridge would be inaugurated in May, the minister said. A proposal to start sea transport, both passenger and freight, on the Mangalore-Malpe-Karwar-Goa- Mumbai route, was being considered by the Government. If approval for the proposal was received, a commercial port would be set up at Malpe.

Mr. Salian said the State Government had already submitted a modified proposal of seven projects for the development of inland waterways in State at a cost of Rs. 98 crore.

The earlier project sent by the State Government had to be modified, as the Centre said the total amount allotted for the development of inland waterways in the country was Rs. 600 crore.

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