Udupi/Malpe, June 8: The construction work of the third phase of Malpe port has already geared up. Tender procedures have already finished for development works costing Rs 52 crore,” said, Krishna J Palemar, Minister for ports and environment. He was addressing a press conference here on Monday, after inspecting the Malpe port.

Rs. 57 crores has been sanctioned for the construction of a fishing jetty in Mangalore port. A project costing Rs. 3 crores is underway to develop Hangarakatte, Gangolli and Kodikannyana ports. The project will be completed soon, he explained.

Special projects have been drafted to uplift 10 ports in the state. Accordingly Karwar port will be modernised at the cost of Rs. 1200 crores to attain international status, he added.

Sea erosion: Precautions taken

The Minister said that Rs. 216 crore had been set aside for the seawalls at Ullal in Dakshina Kannada, since the beach there had been severely affected by erosion. While Rs. 14 crore would be spent for seawalls in the erosion-prone areas of Mangalore coast, Rs. 34 crore would be spent for seawalls in Udupi district, he said.