The Hindu : National : Shipping Ministry proposal to repair tsunami-hit jetties

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

National

National

Shipping Ministry proposal to repair tsunami-hit jetties

S. Dorairaj

Priority for projects to develop Katchal harbour, alternative jetty at Teressa Island

— Photo: V. Ganesan

VITAL LINKS: A floating jetty put up at the Campbell Bay.

PORT BLAIR: Jetties play an important role in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the logistics of transporting passengers and cargo to various islands. Their significance in the life of the people can be understood from the fact that there are 49 jetties at various islands for berthing ships. But several of them have been destroyed by the December 26 tsunami.

The total collapse of six jetties at Hut Bay in Little Andaman, Malacca and Tee Top in Car Nicobar, Chowra, Teressa and Katchal in Nancowry group and badly-damaged ones in Junglighat and Fisheries Jetty at Port Blair, Pongibalu in South Andaman, Gandhi Nagar in North Andaman and Campbell Bay in Great Nicobar made things difficult for the Integrated Relief Command to transport relief and rehabilitation material to different islands.

Though the temporary arrangements such as use of floating jetties have helped the IRC tide over the emergency situation, the Ministry of Shipping has realised the need to reconstruct and modernise the jetties.

According to Lt. Governor Ram Kapse, the Ministry of Shipping has put up an estimate for the rehabilitation, reconstruction, modernisation, replacement of damaged infrastructure and creation of additional facilities for ports at Rs.1,606.33 crores.

The proposal has been accepted by the Planning Commission and included in the final report of the tsunami relief programme.

Under the project, Rs. 347.71 crores will be earmarked for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the damaged port infrastructure and Rs. 1258.62 crores will be utilised for modernisation and creation of additional facilities in two phases till 2010.

In the first phase from 2004-2008, a total investment of Rs. 897.31 crores will be made, out of which Rs. 238.69 crores will be spent on rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Additional facilities will be created at a cost of Rs. 658.62 crores.

Of the total investment of Rs. 709.02 crores to be made in phase-II during 2008-2010, Rs. 600 crores will be earmarked for additional facilities and Rs.109.02 crores will be spent on rehabilitation.

According to D.S. Negi, Chief Secretary to A and N Administration, the Ministry of Shipping has identified six projects to be taken up on turn-key basis at a total cost of Rs. 560.20 crores.

Utmost importance is being given to the implementation of two of the six projects: development of Katchal harbour for berthing of mainland ships and construction of an alternative jetty for inter island vessels at Safed Balu in Teressa Island.

The notice inviting expression of interest for selection of the consultancy agency, under whose supervision the turnkey projects will be taken up has been published, he says.

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