Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for three projects at the New Mangalore Port. He was accompanied by Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, and Dr A V Ramana, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT). The projects include laying the groundwork for a truck parking terminal, modifying the US Mallya Gate, and dedicating the newly constructed business development centre to the nation. Sonowal cited that an additional 17,000 square metre truck parking area will be built at a cost of Rs 1.9 crore. By 2022-23, a concrete pavement, a gatehouse, a restaurant, and a dormitory will be installed in the truck terminal at a cost of Rs 5 crore. He said that the Mallya Gate in the United States will be modified for Rs 3.22 crore and is expected to be finished by March 2022. The Business Development Centre will provide all facilities to the EXIM trade community under one roof. Container and other general cargo traffic are increasing at this Port, according to the Minister, due to improved hinterland connectivity. Every day, nearly 500 trucks commute to and from the New Mangalore Port to transport cargo from the port to destinations outside of the Dakshina Kannada district and Karnataka State. According to Dr A V Ramana, Chairman of the NMPT, the proposed modification of the East gate complex of the NMPT has dimensions of 46.6 m in length and 13.5 m in width. The gated complex has separate lanes for trucks, four-wheeled passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, and pedestrians, as well as RFID systems, radiological monitoring equipment, boom barriers, and other amenities. He asserted that the Business Development Centre and Testing Centre will be built on 2.80 acres on the western side of NH 66, next to the IOC retail outlet. The Business Development Centre is a stilt, ground, three-story building with a total carpet area of 6,300 sq m and a 1,200 sq m test centre. The Business Development Centre for Export and Testing Centre is estimated to cost Rs 24.57 crore to build. It also has a conference hall, post office, restaurant, and banks, among other amenities.Image Source Also read: Visakhapatnam Port Trust to ramp up cargo handling capacity