Uppalam Old Port development is being undertaken by the Government of Puducherry. The work is progressing well on improving the infrastructural facilities at the port. The port operations are likely to start once the dredging work is completed. Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) is assigned the task to dredge 3.75 lakh cubic metres of sand and deposit it behind the Gandhi statue to restore the beaches in front of the town. The port is likely to handle 0.3 million tonne cargo per annum initially. The capacity would will later be expanded up to one million tonne.