Contractor executing Kulai fishing harbour project in Mangaluru will restore damaged portion of northern breakwater, says NMPA New Mangalore Port Authority

New Mangalore Port Authority informed that despite the contractor taking precautions for protection of the breakwater, especially along the western arm of north breakwater before the monsoon, the core layer was displaced due to the fury of the rough sea.

The New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) has said that the contractor executing the Kulai fishing harbour work near Mangaluru is bound to restore the damaged portion of the under-construction northern breakwater at their own cost.

On June 25, the port authority stated: Contractor SAPL GCC JV, which is executing the project at an evaluated cost of ₹147 crore, was told about the damage and to take action. The contractor was working on the same.

The port authority informed that despite the contractor taking precautions for protection of the breakwater, especially along the western arm of north breakwater before the monsoon, the core layer was displaced due to the fury of the rough sea. As the work is in progress, as per the approved design section, the contractor is bound to rectify, restore and reinstate the damaged portion at their own cost as per the agreement.

Giving details about the project, the authority said the Central Government considered the proposal of ‘construction of a fishing harbour at Kulai in Dakshina Kannada district’ at an estimated cost of ₹196.51 crore based on a proposal from the government of Karnataka. The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, had collected data on oceanographic parameters and conducted model studies. Based on the inputs of CWPRS, the Detailed Project Report was prepared by Coastal Engineering for Fisheries (CICEF), based on which the State Government submitted a proposal.

While the Joint Director, Fisheries, Mangaluru, was the project proponent, NMPA is the Implementing agency. NITK-Surathkal is the third party inspecting agency.

A joint venture bagged the work order for ₹147 crore to be executed under engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode. The work involves construction of northern and southern breakwaters, comprising filter layer, core layer, primary and secondary armour / tetrapods, and toe mound.

While work on the southern breakwater had progressed substantially, only 300 metre of the northern breakwater construction was complete by providing toe mound, primary armour and secondary armour / tetrapods. Beyond 300 mt up to 510 mt, placing of only filter and core material was done, according to NMPA Chief Engineer (Civil).