Mangaluru
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.
