The Hindu Business Line : Sethusamudram ship canal project report by Nov-end

The company recently started work and is expected to give the DPR by November end, said Mr N.K. Raghupathy, Chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, which is the nodal agency appointed by the Centre for the project.

"We have given a commitment to the Ministry to give the DPR before November 30, and we are on target," he told Business Line.

L&T-Ramboll is an independent engineering consultancy firm, formed by Larsen & Toubro Ltd., Ramboll (Denmark) and IFU (the Danish Industrialisation Fund for Developing Countries).

According to Mr Raghupathy, a broad outlay of the ship canal project was earlier done by NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute), Nagpur. However, the DPR would provide the exact details of various requirements, including design and alignment of the canal, shore facilities required and infrastructure. The cost for preparing the DPR would be Rs 23 lakh, he said.

As part of the DPR, three additional surveys would also be undertaken. A hydrographic study by NIOT (National Institute of Ocean Technology) would be done to understand the sea characteristics and its depth. The study would also revalidate NIOT's earlier study that was done up to 500 mtrs. The DPR consultant wanted the new study to be done up to one km, said Mr Raghupathy.

A new study would also be done to estimate the quantity of maintenance dredging to be done in the canal. This is to revalidate the earlier study done by NEERI, and would be done using radioactive isotopes by Baba Atomic Research Centre.

There will also be a new study on ship manoeuvring behaviour in the ship canal using mathematical modelling. A limited tender would be called for to do the study. "With such a huge project (the ship canal project), we do not want to take any chance, and need to revalidate the earlier studies," he said. The new studies would cost about Rs 70 lakh, Mr Raghupathy said.

The canal project is estimated to cost between Rs1,600 crore and Rs 2,000 crore, and it proposes to create a ship canal to suit different drafts through dredging in Adam's Bridge and Palk Strait.

The proposed navigation route will originate from Tuticorin in the Gulf of Mannar and pass through the canal created in Adam's Bridge within the international boundary. This would save time and distance for ships, which otherwise had to travel around the peninsula.

Mr T.R. Baalu, Union Minister of Shipping, Roadways and Transport, will visit Madurai and Rameswaram on September 3 and 4 to inspect the proposed location of ship canal project. The Minister will also hold a meeting with chairmen of Tuticorin, Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Paradip port trusts, and Chairman of Ennore Port Ltd, says a press release from Tuticorin Port Trust.

The five port trusts would be part of a special purpose vehicle to be created to implement the project.

More Stories on : Shipping | Infrastructure | Tamil Nadu

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Jet Airways tops in domestic circuit

Baalu against IOC plans to make its own shipping arrangements

Ports hit by drop in coal arrivals from Talcher

Sethusamudram ship canal project report by Nov-end

Gangavaram port project will be expedited: CM

Disaster management for Rlys

Metro Rail tokens