Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jul 30: In a significant setback to coastal tourism, the Union government has refused to provide financial assistance under the Sagarmala scheme for the proposed 'Coastal Passenger Ferry Project' connecting Mangaluru and Maravanthe in Udupi district.

The primary reason for this rejection is the lack of available funds under the current scheme, union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Lok Sabha.

There were high expectations that the implementation of this project would boost marine tourism, improve coastal connectivity, and create an alternative transport system to National Highway-66. However, the Centre's decision has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the project's future.

Replying to a written question raised by Udupi-Chikkamagaluru member of parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary in the Lok Sabha, minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the Karnataka government had submitted a feasibility report for the Mangaluru-Maravanthe passenger ferry service. Additionally, a pre-feasibility report for integrated coastal tourism and marina development with allied infrastructure at Kota Padukere was also submitted under the Sagarmala scheme.

These reports highlighted that Karnataka's 320-km-long coastline offers tremendous opportunities for developing marine tourism, water sports, and ferry services. However, Sonowal clarified that it was not possible to consider these proposals as there is currently no financial provision to allocate funds for them under the Sagarmala scheme.

Earlier this year, the Karnataka Maritime Board had submitted a proposal to build the 110-km-long Mangaluru-Maravanthe coastal ferry corridor at an estimated cost of Rs 37.8 crore.

According to the plan, ferry stations were proposed to be constructed at five locations: the old Mangaluru port, Hejamadi, Malpe, Kota, and Maravanthe. The project was intended to be implemented on a public-private partnership (PPP) model with a concession period of 20 years.

Meanwhile, Yatish Baikampady, chairman of the aviation, airport and tourism sub-committee of the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), had expressed skepticism about the project's success from the very beginning. "Ferry services can never match the speed of road transport. Who will come forward to invest in such projects?" he had questioned.

Conversely, proponents of the project argued that the coastal ferry service would not only boost tourism but also stimulate commercial activities. It was envisioned as an eco-friendly and sustainable transport system, offering a scenic coastal waterway commute as an alternative to the heavy vehicular traffic on NH-66.

With the central government now denying funds, it remains to be seen whether the state government will step in to take the project forward using its own resources or through alternative financial arrangements.