Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of three projects at New Mangalore Port in Karnataka.
These include laying of the foundation stone for a truck parking terminal and modification of U S Mallya Gate, and dedication to the nation of the newly-built business development centre.
Due to improved hinterland connectivity, the container and other general cargo traffic is increasing at this port.
Around 500 trucks are moving to and fro daily for evacuation of cargo from New Mangalore Port to distant places outside Dakshin Kannada district and Karnataka state. Though the port has provided parking facilities for about 160 trucks, the existing area is found to be insufficient.
Hard surface truck parking terminal has been completed for an area 16,000 sq mtr at the cost of Rs two crore. Additional truck parking area of 17,000 sq mtr would be developed at cost of Rs 1.9 crore.
The truck terminal will be provided concrete pavement, gate house, restaurant and dormitory at the project cost of Rs five crore in 2022-23.
The East gate of the New Mangalore Port Trust is called U S Mallya Gate, named after the founder of the Port. The proposed modifications of the gate complex have dimensions of 46.6 mtr length and 13.5 mtr.
The gate complex has different lanes for movement of trucks, four-wheeler passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, pedestrians, provisions of RFID system, radiological monitoring equipment, boom barriers, etc. The cost of modification work is Rs 3.22 crore. The work is likely to be completed by March 2022.
The business development centre and testing centre are built on an area of 2.80 acre on western side of NH-66 adjacent to the IOC retail outlet. The business development centre is a stilt + ground + three-storey building with a total carpet area of 6,300 sq mtr and 1,200 sq mtr test centre building.
The project cost of construction of business development centre for export and testing centre is Rs 24.57 crore.
The business development centre will have a conference hall, restaurant, post office, banks, etc. It will provide all facilities under one roof to the EXIM trade fraternity.
New Mangalore Port, the only major port of Karnataka, is ideally located between Cochin and Goa ports. The port has 15 fully operational berths, handling containers, coal and other cargo.