Karwar: A project of Rs 31 crore is ready for dredging the commercial port in Karwar and the survey work for this is expected to begin in a day or two.

As part of the project, it has been decided to remove 17 lakh cubic meter silt between the port jetty area and the Ladies beach. This stretch is around three to four kilometers in length.

The contract of desilting has been bagged by Chennai-based International Seaport Dredging Company Pvt Ltd and the company along with the Ports Department will conduct a joint survey.

“Dredging is done in big ports every year from maintenance point of view. But it has not been done in Karwar port since three years. This has made the water path difficult for navigation. Presently, the depth near the port is just six meter. After the dredging, this will become 8.5 meter”, said Assistant Executive Engineer Narayanappa of Port Department.

Scientific study

The join survey will be conducted to know the present depth. This will take around a week’s time. The National Institute of Oceanography of Goa will review this.

A ship carrying equipment needed for the survey will arrive in a ship shortly.

Hydrographic Surveyor Yagyakumar said that a dredging ship belonging to International Seaport Dredging Company Pvt Ltd has anchored near Devgadh island. But that ship has come to carry out dredging in the Sea Bird naval area. It has not been allowed to enter the naval base form security point of view.