VPT will be spending Rs 10 crore for sand replenishment
Preventative nets were placed on the sands of Ramakrishna Beach to restrict people from venturing into sea by the GVMC in Visakhapatnam on Friday. (Photo: DC)
Visakhapatnam: A Project Management Consultancy (PMC) will be appointed to take up permanent measures to control beach erosion on the Vizag coast.
The GVMC has been entrusted the job to pick the consultancy for which tenders will be floated next month after Netherlands based Deltares sends its observations.
The report having the remedial measures prepared by Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Andhra University and Hyderabad Central University, has been sent to Deltares for third party asse-ssment and also to seek its observations. Deltares is a world-renowned independent consultancy that has expertise in preparing designs of coastal defence system to stop erosion.
“The observations and modifications if any to the report prepared by the NIOT is expected within 15 to 20 days. After the Deltares report, a PMC will be appointed to implement the project. PMC will be picked by the GVMC for which tenders will be called,” Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) chairman M.T. Krisha Babu said. He added that funding for the beach erosion control project is not a problem as World Bank assistance will be taken.
As part of short-term measures, before the Indi-an Navy’s International Fleet Review (IFR) slated to be held in February next year, VPT will be spending Rs 10 crore for sand replenishment along the 2.5kms coast.
This time, instead of rainbow model of sand pumping, pipes will be used to replenish sand along the coast. “There were reports that rainbow model of pumping is not effective. So, we decided to change it by using pipes this time. We have also asked the district collector to ask the Gangavaram port to take up sand replenishment,” added the VPT chairman.
Mr Krishna Babu further said that while VPT would pump 2.5 lakh cubic meters of sand, Gangava-ram port can dump another 2 lakh cubic meters with their efforts which will put together 4.5 lakh along the coast.
There has been shortage of sand at the sand trap and harbour area since 2005, due to which VPT was unable to pump enough sand.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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