Mott MacDonald appointed on coastal protection scheme in India

Mott MacDonald has been appointed project management and design consultant by the Government of Karnataka, Department of Ports and Inland Water Transport, for the Karnataka section of the National Coastal Protection Project (NCPP) in India. Financed by the Asian Development Bank, the three states included in the INR 2.5billion scheme are Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The Karnataka stretch of coastline is 300km long, with about 50% affected by erosion. The beach at Ullal in southern Karnataka has suffered serious erosion over several decades. Despite existing coastal protection works, the local population is under severe attack from waves and many houses and trees have been lost.

Dirk Smits, Mott MacDonald's project director, said: “A large area is now threatened by coastal flooding all year round with an increased threat during the monsoon season. Through the NCPP the state has decided to tackle coastal erosion in a more systematic manner and is looking to adopt long-term sustainable measures.”

As part of the project, Mott MacDonald will work directly with the State Project Management Unit, to prepare long term development and management plans for the shoreline. This will include detailed design of the Ullal entrance breakwaters to keep the channel open and ensure vessels can continue to use old Mangalore port. Tetrapods, concrete armour units and natural rock structures will be considered so that the most optimal, innovative solutions are implemented.

”The potential alteration of the north breakwater will also be considered with the aim of ensuring that sand coming from the river is driven south so that natural bypassing occurs more effectively,” Dirk added

Mott MacDonald will also provide technical supervision for the possible construction of two offshore multipurpose artificial submerged reefs and four nearshore berms. As part of the scheme, these could be used to block the wave energy from a number of directions, thereby minimising or negating the long shore currents – keeping the sand in place.

HR Wallingford, a specialist water research consultancy, has been appointed as subcontractor by Mott MacDonald and will be supporting the coastal modelling work.

The project is due for completion in 2015.

Ends

Notes for editors:

India

Paramita Maitra
+91 (0) 80 39973577
paramita.maitra@mottmac-india.com

UK

Tom Smith
+44 (0) 20 8774 2205
tom.smith@mottmac.com

Christina de Burgh-Milne
+44 (0) 20 8774 3639
christina.deburgh-milne@mottmac.com

Lee Lodge
+44 (0) 20 8774 2040
lee.lodge@mottmac.com

About Mott MacDonald

Mott MacDonald is a global management, engineering and development consultancy with more than 14,000 staff, £1 billion revenue and work in 140 countries for the public and private sectors. For 6 consecutive years the employee-owned company has featured in the Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For survey. Mott MacDonald’s core business sectors cover buildings, transport, energy, water, environment, health, education, industry, oil and gas, communications and international development.

More information can be found at http://www.mottmac.com/

Tags: