BANGALORE: As many as six bidders including Adani Enterprises have shown interests in participating in the expansion of the state-owned Karwar Port second stage works, which would be taken up under the PPP model.Karnataka Minister for Ports and Fisheries, Krishna Palemar in a chat with The New Indian Express informed that the cost of expansion of the Karwar Port, one of the largest state administered ports in the state, would come up to around Rs 800 crore.He said that as many as six international bidders including Adani Enterprises have shown interest in the participation and technical evaluation of the bids would be taken up shortly. The minister said that state government planned to take up the expansion of the second and third phase of the port both to ensure more activity at the port and generate larger funds.The second phase works was estimated to cost about Rs 1,500 crore, he said.Taking into consideration financial constraints in providing world class infrastructure facilities in the state owned ports, it was decided to invite private participation, the minister said. “In the background of constraints in mobilising state governments resources, the government found Public Private Partnership (PPP) model as an alternative way to develop the ports,” Palemar said.Stating that with the private participation more efficiency can be witnessed both in the project implementation and its maintenance, the minister said that it would also help to reduce investment risk to great extent on the state government. As compared to other states, Karnataka lags behind in attracting private participation in the development and management of the ports, the minister said.Karnataka has over 300 km length of coastline right from Majali in Karwar taluk in Uttara-Kannada to Ullal in Dakshina-Kannada district.Informing that the state of Gujarat still remains far ahead in exploiting the economic advantages by promoting private participation for the development and maintenance at the port, the minister said Karnataka’s share in the port handling turnover is still hovering around single digit figures. “There needs be more booster in the interest of generating more economic activities in and around the ports,” added Palemar.Replying to questions, the minister also informed that the state government has released Rs 15 crore to take up dredging operation at the Karwar Port. The depth of the sea water was drastically reduced owing to collection of sand resulting in blocking the entry of large sized ships towards the bay, he said.
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