The Government of India will work to expedite the process of giving sanction to remove the additional four wrecks at the Kankesanthurai harbour, Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said.
Initially it was found that, there are six wrecks to be removed, four inside and two outside the harbour. Recently, four additional wrecks have been found. Earlier, the Government of India, through the Shipping Corporation of India, had awarded a contract for removal and disposal of six wrecks at KKS harbour to Resolve Salvage and Fire (Asia) Pvt Ltd, Singapore at a total cost of US$ 19 million (SLRs 2.18 billion).
At a presentation at KKS harbour, representatives of the firm, Resolve Salvage, requested that the process of sanction for additional wreckages be expedited so that they could complete the work early.
The Kankesanthurai Harbour rehabilitation project includes six stages, namely, Preliminary Hydrographic Survey, Geotechnical investigations and preparation of Detailed Project Report, Wreck removal and disposal, Dredging, Rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of new pier with attendant port facilities and Final Hydrographic Survey and preparation of Harbour Chart.
The Preliminary Hydrographic Survey has already been completed in June-July 2010 as part of the preparation for this project. The contract for Geo-technical and Geo-physical studies and preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been awarded to RITES Ltd of India. These studies are in progress.
The dredging of the harbour will be undertaken by the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI). Rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of new pier with attendant port facilities will be undertaken in accordance with the approved DPR, which is being prepared by RITES. Final Hydrographic Survey and preparation of Harbour Chart will be taken up as the final stage of work.
Earlier, the Foreign Secretary reviewed the progress of works in the northern railway line, being built by IRCON.
