Work on Chellanam fishing harbour has been held up due to delay in decision to acquire land for widening the road leading to the harbour.
Harbour Engineering Department sources said that work on the breakwater for the offshore harbour had been completed and that the rest of the work on shore work could be taken up only after the land is acquired for the road.
Work on the harbour building, which will house the auction hall and other facilities remain to be taken up. Sources said lack of sufficient funds for land acquisition was one of the reasons for the delay.
Work on the fishing harbour, located in South Chellanam, has assumed importance in view of the increasing number of fishing vessels calling at the harbour without basic facilities. Lack of a harbour between Fort Kochi and Arthungal in Alappuzha district is one reason for Chellanam assuming importance.
Meanwhile, the families affected by the road widening work have appealed to the government for an early settlement. The road leading to the harbour will be widened to eight metres from the current width of four metres. Nine families will be affected by the project.
A member of one of the affected families, P.A. Charles, said that the government had agreed to the demands set by the families and that both the former district collector and the present collector had visited Chellanam in connection with the issue.
