Giving a major fillip to coastal shipping initiatives, the state government has issued administrative sanction of Rs 1.6 crore to set up a coastal shipping jetty at Fort Kochi. Ports Minister K Babu said the jetty will be constructed by modifying the existing jankar jetty.
The Harbour Engineering Department has been entrusted with the construction work. Currently, there is no jetty or terminal facilities under the Ports Department in Kochi, the Minister said.
Feasibility Study
An amount of Rs 1.64 crore has been earmarked to carry out a feasibility study for dredging at various ports. An administrative sanction of Rs 1.39 crore has been accorded for carrying out the environmental impact assessment (EIA) to get clearance from the State Environment & Impact Assessment Agency at nine ports across the state.
The EIA will be conducted at Manjeswaram, Neeleeswarm, Kasargod, Azheekkal, Thalassery, Beypore, Vadakara, Ponnani and Kodunmgalloor ports.
Kitco has been assigned with the task of carrying out the EIA, the Minister said.
In addition to this, Kitco has been assigned with the task of preparing a techno-commercial feasibility report on manual dredging at various ports. Rs 25 lakh has been cleared for the same.
Under KSINC
A couple of projects worth Rs 6.5 crore under the Kerala State Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) were issued clearance, the Ports Minister said. Kochi Fast Ferry Service and reconstruction of the ferry terminal are among these projects. Rs 5 crore has been sanctioned for operating fast ferry service at Marine Drive in Kochi. The study in this regard was carried out by the School of Management Studies at Cochin University. Rs 1.5 crore has been cleared for the reconstruction of ferry terminal. The construction of jetty and other buildings will be carried out as part of this project.
The land for constructing building will be given by the GCDA. The ferry terminal will connect both ends of the marine drive walkway.
The building to be constructed along with this will have various facilities, including ticket counter, jetty office, maintenance office and passenger/tourist amenities. The jetty has been designed in such a way that it can accommodate bigger vessels.
The KSINC has conceptualised the new jetty to facilitate better passenger service, the Minister said. The state government has given administrative sanction of `40 lakh for the construction of the Marine Surveyor Office in Kollam district.
The amount was sanctioned considering the fact that the existing office was demolished for the purpose of constructing Kollam bypass. The Ports Minister said Rs 4.43 crore has been allocated for various construction activities at Kollam port. The construction of an office building with conference hall, stores, assistant executive engineer’s office and other facilities will be done.