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Kerala
By Mohamed Nazeer
As per the original plan, the two breakwaters at the Azhikkal estuary were to have been completed by February 2002. But the construction work ran aground when the construction company that was awarded the contract by the Harbour Engineering Department (HED) met with obstacles, including a stay on quarrying granite from a nearby quarry. The work was brought to a complete standstill a few years ago with the company demanding revision of the estimated rate for completing the works. The suspended work was expected to start in the first week of May with the Government sanctioning the company's plea for enhancement of schedule rate for the works. The company, which was given contract for constructing one each rubble mound-breakwater from Azhikkal side and Mattul side of the river, suspended the work when the Thalassery Revenue Divisional Officer issued an injunction order staying the blasting of granite stones from the company's quarry at Ramnthali, near Ezhimala, following protests by local residents. As per the agreement, the company was allowed to acquire the granite stones for the works from the nearby quarries — the quarry at Shivapuram for breakwater from Azhikkal side and the quarry at Ramanthali for that from Mattul side. As the agreement was on the basis of the 1992 schedule rate, the company approached the Government for enhancement, which the latter earlier rejected. The UDF Government, however, considered the plea by the company. As per a recent Cabinet decision, the company will get the 1996 schedule rate plus tender excess of 27.7 per cent above the estimate rate for works from July 1, 1996 to June 30, 1999, and the 1999 schedule rate for works from July 1, 1999. The company should complete the breakwater works in 21 months under the fresh agreement. The revised estimate of the works was now Rs. 22 crores as against the original estimate cost of Rs. 16 crores. The breakwater from the Azhikkal side had reached up to 996 metres of the total 1,130 metres to be constructed and an extent of 675 metres of the total 1,090-metre-long breakwater from the Mattul side has also been completed. The breakwaters are prerequisite for the massive harbour project proposed by the Government, as there will be no siltation after their completion. "There is no siltation after construction of the breakwaters from both sides of the estuary,'' according to an official of the HED. The flow of water had increased and the depth of water now was around eight metres. Medium vessels with 30,000 tonnes can operate at the port if this draft can be maintained, he says adding that the breakwaters will be the first part of the total development of the shore. The breakwaters are meant to stabilise the channel and to increase the depth at the bar since the shallow draft at the bar is considered the main hurdle to vessel traffic. According to port authorities here, Azhikkal had an ideal basin for port development, as the approach to the port is free from any navigational dangers. Steamers can obtain good anchorage off the mouth of the river about eight k.m. off the shore and sailing vessels can cross the bar and find shelter inside the mouth of the river, they say. The Government has also approved a Rs. 8-crore proposal for extending each breakwater further 200 metres. The second stage work will be completed after the completion of the breakwaters as per the original plan. There is a sandbar about 30 metres wide near the breakwater from the Azhikkal side. The existing depth of the basin can be maintained only if the sand bar has been removed, the HED official says. The existing port was once an important port that handled timber and agricultural products bound for different countries. The port has a 50-metre-long wharf for loading and landing operations and a one-hand operated five-tonne crane. The wharf area was also being used for stacking of cargo in the absence of godowns near the port. The port authorities say that the tonnage of cargo handled at the port recorded a steep decline over the years due to lack of any initiative for developing the port. During 2002-2003, only two sailing vessels reached the port, each carrying cargo to the tune of around 150 tonnes, they have said. (According to port authorities, several important files regarding the port development proposals and figures of cargo handling over the years were destroyed when the port office records were set afire following violent incidents in connection with the LDF's SP office march here on March 17.) Another positive development is the keen interest shown by the Lakshadweep Administration for developing a separate and exclusive 100-metre wharf for handling cargo bound for and coming from Lakshadweep. The administration has already assigned an engineer of the Lakshadweep Harbour Works to supervise the implementation of the works at the port. A Rs. 1,750-crore project for developing the port in stages was showcased at the Global Investor Meet. The project envisaged not only the construction of wharfs and cargo berths among other things. It is hoped that the Azhikkal port can emerge as a major port in the region thanks to its ideal natural location as well as the rich hinterland, which offers scope for large-scale diversion of cargo.
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