July 21, Colombo: Sri Lanka and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday to develop the Kankasanthurai (KKS) port under an agreement the two countries had reached during the visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India in June 2010.
During President Rajapaksa's visit it had been agreed in the Joint Declaration issued on the occasion that India would extend assistance for the rehabilitation of the Kankasanthurai Harbour among other infrastructure projects in the Northern Province.
High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha signed the agreement on behalf of Government of India while Secretary of the Ministry of Ports and Highways Mrs. Sujatha Cooray signed for Sri Lanka.
Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways, Mr. Rohitha Abeygunawardena and the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama also attended the ceremony.
A press release issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo said the Kankasanthurai Harbour project will be aided by a mix of grant funding and concessional credit from the Government of India.
The Kankasanthurai Harbour rehabilitation project is a complex and wide-ranging project that will be completed in multiple stages.
The Indian government has already committed 2.2 billion rupees (about US$ 20 million) for three initial steps, mainly for preliminary hydrographic survey, geotechnical investigations and DPR preparation and wreck removal and salvage.
In addition to this, the Government of India will provide additional grant funding for the dredging of the harbour and concessional credit for the rehabilitation of the breakwater and construction of a new pier and attendant port facilities, the release said. Final hydrographic survey and preparation of Harbour Chart will also be carried out.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) estimating the total expenditure on the project is to be prepared.
Preliminary Hydrographic Survey has already been completed by an Indian agency in June-July 2010 as part of the preparation for this project.
One of the main problems in the rebuilding of the KKS harbor is the presence of six ship wrecks of which 4 are inside and 2 are outside the Harbour.
Indian government has awarded a contract to the Shipping Corporation of India for the removal and disposal of the six wrecks to M/s Resolve Salvage and Fire (Asia) Pvt Ltd, Singapore at a total cost
Wreck removal is expected to be completed by mid-November 2011. The work is being funded by a grant from the Government of India.
Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) will conduct the dredging of the harbour and it is expected to commence in late 2011. The work will be fully funded by a grant from the Government of India.
The contract for Geo-technical and Geo-physical studies and preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been awarded to RITES Ltd of India. These studies are in progress. The company has prepared an initial draft of the DPR and it will be presented to Sri Lankan authorities shortly.
Once the DPR is approved, RITES would carry out the tendering procedure for the work included in the DPR. The scope of work would include rehabilitation of the existing breakwater, construction of a new pier and related port facilities. The preparation of the DPR is being funded through a grant from the Government of India.
RITES will also float tenders for award of works related to the rehabilitation of breakwater/pier and construction of new pier with attendant port facilities will be undertaken in accordance with the approved DPR. The Government of India will provide a Line of Credit to the Government of Sri Lanka for the work and construction of additional pier/s for commercial cargo handling and the installation of port infrastructure facilities.
Detailed hydrographic survey and preparation of Harbour Chart will be taken up as the final stage of work.
At the ceremony, High Commissioner Kantha has remarked that restoration of physical infrastructure at the Harbour would contribute towards the Sri Lankan government's reconstruction efforts, promote normalcy in northern Sri Lanka by restoring traditional domestic and regional linkages and boost economic activity by encouraging trade. The allied activities at the Harbour would also generate employment in the area.
Noting the key role played by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Ports and Highways, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the High Commissioner has appreciated the strong support and cooperation extended by the Government of Sri Lanka at every stage of project formulation and preparation.
Sri Lankan Deputy Minister for Ports and Highways Rohitha Abeygunawardena has said that Sri Lanka will take up construction of the Quays and the breakwater and the work is expected to take about two years.
He has expressed the Sri Lankan government's appreciation for the assistance being provided for this important project by the Government of India.
Source:Colombopage
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