The authorities seem to be keen on reviving the proposal to relocate the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour to Mulakedu near 17 century Dutch township of Bhimili notwithstanding stiff opposition from boat and trawler operators.
Faced with repeated requests by Ministry of Defence to shift the harbour due to security threat and heavy congestion in the inner and outer harbours, the Visakhapatnam Port, which takes care of maintenance of fishing harbour, has launched a fresh exercise to explore the option.
The fishing harbour was built at a cost of Rs.4.26 crore with the support of Ministry of Agriculture in 1976 in an area of 24 hectares. It is home to hundreds of mechanised boats and trawlers.
A Delhi-based firm has already conducted a feasibility study on construction of Greenfield satellite port and fishing harbour at Mulakedu. The port has 172 acres including two km. waterfront area, which it got in lieu of land surrendered by it to the Revenue Department for expansion of runway of INS Dega airport.
Though the report is stated to have expressed doubts over ensuring cargo that is required to make it viable in view of an investment of Rs.2,000 crore required for project, the issue hogged the limelight recently with Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao and port Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu holding a meeting to revive it. The meeting resolved to hold fresh studies, a senior official of Fisheries Department told The Hindu .
The port is in need of additional area to augment its facilities. The port has however repeatedly clarified that only after taking the stakeholders into confidence would they go ahead with their plan to shift the harbour.
The boat operators contend that as the site is close to the river mouth of Gosthani, which joins the sea, it will need dredging continuously due to heavy silting. “It will become another Bhavanapadu as navigating into the entrance channel will be a Herculean task. The existing harbour has a natural draft and protection from cyclones and tsunamis due to close proximity to Dolphin’s Nose,” said leaders of boat operators Ch. Satyanarayana Murthy and P.Ch. Appa Rao.
