The Chief Secretary of the Karnataka Government has emphasised the need for including important road and rail development works, connecting New Mangalore Port to the hinterland, under the Sagarmala project of the Union Shipping Ministry.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Union Shipping Ministry in Bengaluru to launch Sagarmala project in Karnataka, Kaushik Mukherji, Chief Secretary of Karnataka, requested the Union Government to make the Mangaluru-Hassan stretch of the Mangaluru-Bengaluru highway as a four-lane road. He also suggested that the Government include Hubli-Ankola railway project in Sagarmala.
These projects will help in ensuring seamless movement of cargo to and from the port, he said.
A press release by New Mangalore Port Trust said here that Mukherji also stressed the need for one more major port in northern coast of Karnataka for the overall development of north Karnataka region.
While concluding his address, he assured his support for implementing the above projects.
RK Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Sagarmala, Union Ministry of Shipping, gave a presentation on the overall vision of Sagarmala project and its benefits to the state.
The release said that a stakeholders’ session, which was conducted on the occasion, deliberated the role of Sagarmala Development Company and funding pattern of projects to be taken up under Sagarmala.
PC Parida, Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust, briefed the importance of Sagarmala on the occasion.
The release said that Sagarmala project has been envisioned to provide ports and shipping the rightful place in the Indian economy and to enable port-led development.
The prime objective of the project is to promote port-led direct and indirect development and to provide infrastructure to transport goods to and from the ports quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively, it added.