A new truck parking terminal equipped with a restaurant, concrete pavement, gatehouse and dormitory will be coming up at the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT).

The ‘Truck Terminal’ would have concrete pavement, gatehouse, restaurant, and dormitory. The project would be developed at a cost of 5 crore and is scheduled to come up by 2022-23, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said at the foundation laying function of the truck terminal project on Friday.

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“The US Mallya Gate, named after the founder of the Port, will be modified at a cost of Rs 3.22 crore. The work is likely to be completed by March 2022,” the minister said adding, ” the Business Development Centre will provide all facilities under one roof to the EXIM trade fraternity.” He said an additional truck parking area of 17000 sq metres would be developed at a cost of Rs 1.9 crore.

Sonowal said due to improved hinterland connectivity, the container and other general cargo traffic had been increasing at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT). the state’s largest port.

“Around 500 trucks are moving to and fro daily for evacuation of cargo from New Mangalore Port to distant places outside Dakshin Kannada district and Karnataka State. Though the Port has provided parking facilities for about 160 trucks, the existing area is found to be insufficient,” Sonowal said, seeking to drive home the significance of constructing the truck terminal.

Besides Sonowal, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, and Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust Dr A V Ramana were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman, NMPT, Dr A V Ramana said the gate complex has different lanes for movement of trucks, four-wheeler passenger vehicles, two-wheelers, pedestrians, provisions of RFID system, radiological monitoring equipment, boom barriers, etc.

The New Mangalore Port is the only major port of Karnataka. It is ideally located between Cochin and Goa ports. The port has 15 fully operational berths, handling containers, coal and other cargo. An ISO 9001, 14001 and ISPS compliant port due to its strict emphasis on safety and security, it also caters to the cruise tourists, according to a ministry note.