Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Feb 12: The tender process for a new Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) service, estimated to cost Rs 29.62 crore, facilitating people and vehicle transport from Old Port to the national highway, has been successfully completed.

Old Port, situated in the heart of the city, has been a hub for vehicular traffic, leading to congestion in the city. In response, the union government has renamed Netravati and Phalguni (Gurpur) rivers as National Water Transport-43 (Phalguni) and National Water Transport-74 (Netravati). The development of river basin areas aims to alleviate commercial traffic from Old Port and enhance transportation efficiency.

Proposals for the comprehensive development of National Water Transport-43 and 74 have been forwarded to the Sagara Mala Cell for grant release, with an allocation of Rs 29.62 crores. Work on Netravati river basin development is slated to commence soon.

As part of the Gurpur water transport development, jetties will be constructed at Hoige Bazaar and Kulur Bridge. A Roro vessel will operate between these jetties, facilitating the transportation of passengers and vehicles. The tender for this project has been awarded to Satish Shet of Udupi, pending approval from Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) and environmental authorities.

Upon the commencement of Roro service, residents of the Old Port area can directly access the highway at Kulur via the vessel, bypassing congested routes through Jyoti, Lalbagh, and Kottara.

To accommodate vessel anchorage, waterfront terminals and terminal buildings will be constructed, spanning 11000 square meters along the banks of Netravati river and 1600 square meters along Phalguni river. These terminal buildings will house ticket counters, waiting areas, security checks, passenger amenities, and dining and shopping facilities.

Additionally, silt removal work will be undertaken, and three floating jetties and Roro vessels will be procured upon completion of civil work.

Water metro project approval

In a recent meeting chaired by chief minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru, the Water Transport Board approved the development of a water metro project in Mangaluru. Fisheries Minister Mankala Vaidya and senior officials from the water transport department and others were present in the meeting.

The project aims to establish a well-equipped water transport system from Bengre to Mangaluru and Ullal. Officials have been directed to expedite the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPR) for further consideration by the board. Discussions were also held regarding the anchoring of international ships, which is expected to boost commercial activities at the port.

Furthermore, an agreement has been reached with the Centre of Excellence for Maritime Studies (CMES) to establish a water transport training center in the city, promoting awareness of environmentally friendly water transport practices. The center is scheduled to commence operations within the next three months.