COLOMBO: An Indian project to rehabilitate the war-hit harbour at Kankesanthurai (KKS) in the northern Sri Lankan district of Jaffna, will be reaching a major milestone in November, when the ship wrecks blocking the harbour are removed. Wreckage of six vessels is blocking the inner as well as the outer harbour.
This was revealed by the Indian High Commissioner, Ashok K Kantha, after he signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the rehabilitation of the harbour with Secretary of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Ports, Sujatha Cooray, here on Thursday.
The Shipping Corporation of India, which had been given the task of removing the wreckage, had, in turn, engaged the Singapore-based firm, Resolve Salvage and Fire (Asia) at a cost of $19 million.
Once the wreckage is cleared, the Dredging Corporation of India will be dredging the harbour with funds from the Indian government.
Meanwhile, the Indian public sector consultancy firm RITES Ltd., has done the geo-technical and geo-physical investigations and a draft Detailed Project Report (DPR) is already with the Lankan authorities. The DPR is being done with a government of India grant of $20 million.
Once the DPR is approved, work will begin on the rehabilitation of the existing breakwater, and the construction of a new pier and other port facilities with a line of credit provided by India.
In the final stage of work, a detailed hydrographic survey and preparation of the Harbour Chart will be taken up.