Karnataka’s first sea ambulance expected to be ready by May, 2026, says Mankal S. Vaidya

Karnataka is expected to roll out its first sea ambulance by May, 2026, according to Minister for Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport Mankal S. Vaidya.

In an informal chat with media here on Saturday, the Minister said that a Chennai-based agency, which had bagged the bid (tender) of building the ambulance, is constructing it now. “It, costing ₹7.85 crore, is expected to be ready in another six months,” State Director of Fisheries Dinesh Kumar Kaller said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced introducing a sea ambulance in the State in the 2024-25 Budget.

According to Mr. Kaller, the ambulance will be fitted with an 800-HP engine. Normally, deep-sea fishing boats are fitted with 350 to 400-HP engines. The ambulance will have to sail out faster than them to reach boats which send alerts for medical help. The ambulance will have paramedical staff and other facilities including a mortuary. It will be stationed at any of the fisheries ports in the coastal belt.

Port modernisation project

Earlier, the Minister laid the foundation stone for taking up a ₹37.47 crore project of modernising Mangaluru fisheries harbour under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. (PMMSY). The Union government’s share will be ₹22.48 crore and the remaining ₹14.98 crore will be shared by the State government.

The components of the project comprised reconstruction of old wharf, building overhead tank, sump and arranging drinking water supply, reconstructing auction hall, construction of auction shelter, constructing sewage treatment and effluent treatment plant, renovating the office of Joint Director of Fisheries, building entrance gate, and building fish handling facility.

In addition, CCTV cameras will be installed under the project.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said that elected representatives should show interest to develop port facilities in the State.

Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Dakshina Kannada MP, said that in addition to modernising ports, opportunities for tapping tourism potential using the coastal line should also be explored.