The Hindu Business Line : Volkswagen team visits New Mangalore port

A TEAM of German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen visited New Mangalore Port and inspected a site at Mudipu near Mangalore on Friday. Volkswagen team, which is examining various locations to set up its manufacturing unit in the country, has already visited Hassan and Mysore in Karnataka.

The four-member Volkswagen team began its visit by meeting the officials of the New Mangalore Port in the morning. The Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), Mr P. Tamilvanan, made a presentation to the team members on the facilities available at the port.

Sources in New Mangalore Port told Business Line that the team members were enquiring about the container handling facilities at the port.

The team members, who were taken on a visit inside the port premises, were shown the newly constructed multipurpose deep-draught berth.

After visiting the port, Volkswagen members left for Mudipu, which is 25 km away from Mangalore. The team was shown around 1,000 acres of land at Mudipu, comprising three villages - Ira, Balepuni and Kurnad. However, the company needs around 400 acres of land for its unit in the country.

The 1,000 acres of land is a plain area without trees, houses or horticulture plantations. The team members took down all the data related to the area - including temperature, humidity and rainfall of the region during all the 12 months of the year - sources said. Later, the team members left for Maharashtra.

Though Mangalore has all the facilities such as airport, seaport and railway connectivity that are the requirements of the company, the German major will take a final decision after evaluating other locations in the country. Even Chennai has all these facilities, sources added.

Officials from the Karnataka Department of Industries, Karnataka Udyoga Mitra, and Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board accompanied the team of the German automobile manufacturer.