No: 101 :MPUC:2014-15                                                                                                                  Date:05.08.2014

To:

    Shri Nitin Gadkari ji

    Hon’ble Minister of Rural Devaelopment,

    Shipping, Drinking Water & Sanitation,

    Road Transport and Highways , Panchayati Raj

    Room No 504, Transport Bhawan , Sansad Marg

    New Delhi-110001

 Sir ,

           Sub : Proposal to develop a Greenfield port at Hangarkatta in Udupi District on PPP model reg-

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         Udupi District, a part of my parliamentary constituency is a coastal district. It is one of the three coastal districts of Karnataka.

         In order to reap the benefits of the sea coast and bring in development to the otherwise small fishing villages and to enhance the income potential and create an environment of robust growth of trade and commerce, I would like to take this opportunity to propose setting up a Greenfield port at Hangarkatta in Udupi District. Hangarkatta had been a vibrant port during the medieval period and had reached its zenith under the Vijayanagar Empire, when it was one of the busiest ports of western India. But at present it has been reduced to an abandoned fishing harbor.

The New Mangalore Port situated to the south of Hangarkatta and in Dakshina Kannada   District has reached its optimum and is largely considered as a granite and timber port. The establishment of Sea Bird, the naval base in Karwar has reduced the potential of commercial shipping due to strategic and security issues in Uttara Kannada District.

These circumstances would make Hangarkatta a viable option for setting up a Greenfield port and create port led development, in line with the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji.

This infrastructure proposal if commissioned on PPP model on the lines of Mundra Port along with a Free Trade Zone would largely improve the value addition propositions and also open a new gateway to interior Karnataka and the benefits would percolate down to the local populace creating a number of employment opportunities and kick start the local economy.

Therefore I request upon your kind self to consider this proposal positively and take necessary steps in order to convert this proposal into reality and oblige .

With Kind Regards,

                                                                                                                                        Your Sincerely

                                                                                                   (Shobha Karandlaje)