The Ministry of Shipping has sanctioned Rs 25 crore as Grants-in-aid to JNPT and Rs 50 crore to the government of Karnataka for Karwar Port, for developing their infrastructure under the Coastal Berth Scheme of Sagarmala.
The Coastal Berth Scheme aims to provide financial support to ports or state governments for creation of infrastructure for movement of cargo and passengers by sea or national waterways. The admissible financial assistance from the Central government is 50 per cent of the total cost of the project, subject to: (i) a maximum of Rs 25 crore for projects relating to construction/upgradation of coastal berths by Major/non-major ports, (ii) a maximum of Rs 10 crore for construction of platforms/jetties for hovercrafts and seaplanes by ports/state governments and passenger jetties in National Waterways and islands by state governments, (iii) a maximum of Rs 15 crore for mechanisation of berths by Major/non-major ports, (iv) a maximum of Rs 50 crore for capital dredging of operational non-major ports; and (v) a maximum of Rs 50 crore for construction of breakwater for existing and greenfield ports. The balance expenditure has to be incurred by the respective ports/concerned state governments from their own resources.
The project at Jawaharlal Nehru Port involves construction of a coastal berth (270 m x 30 m) and port craft jetty, reclamation and capital dredging in coastal berth. The estimated project cost is Rs 170.20 crore and the project would be completed by March 2019.
The proposed berth at JNPT is expected to handle about 2.5 million tonnes of coastal traffic which includes coastal liquid traffic. It will facilitate easy and quick coastal movement of cement and edible oil through green channel, allow for about 45 hectares of storage space in the vicinity of berth and repurpose the existing shallow berth as a container terminal.
The project at Karwar Port in Karnataka involves extension of the existing southern breakwater by 145 metres and construction of a new north breakwater of 1,160 metres. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 215 crore and it is expected to be complete in three years.
This will allow more tranquility for berthing/unberthing of vessels and reduce the turnaround time of loading and unloading activities. It will also support the construction of more berths with vertical face in the second stage development of Karwar Port. Construction of the breakwater will reduce the rate of siltation too and help maintain required draught for safe navigation activities. The deeper draught will allow berthing of larger Panamax vessels.
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