Mookaiyur fishing harbour, which is being reconstructed at a cost of ₹113.90 crore, is in the ‘final phase’ and would be ready for commissioning before the project period of March 2019, Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao has said.
In a brief chat with reporters after inspecting the ongoing works with Johny Tom Varghese, Additional Director of Fisheries, and other officials at the project site on Friday, the Collector said 84% of the works have been completed and the officials have assured that the remaining works would be completed before the project period.
The Collector, quoting officials, said all the major components of the project such as training walls running into the sea, diaphragm walls, rubble mounded walls and building works had been completed and the remaining works would be completed at the earliest.
Works worth ₹84 crore had already been completed and the project had entered the closing phase, said Mr. Varghese. Stating that funding was not a problem, he said the project was on the fast track and would be completed in time.
De-congest Rameswaram fishing jetty
The harbour would help de-congest Rameswaram fishing jetty and wean away a section of the fishermen, who were fishing in the Palk Bay, he said.
The harbour was being reconstructed based on the design and detailed project report (DPR) prepared by the IIT-Madras.
The execution of the project was supervised by Fishing Harbour and Engineering Division.
“We are confident of completing the project by November-end, much before the deadline,” the officials said. All major components of the project had been completed and only the road works, drainage and finishing works in the buildings had to be done, they said.
The project was funded by the State and Central governments on 50:50 basis and the fishing harbour would have facilities for berthing 250 mechanised boats and 200 country boats, they said. It would also have facilities such as auction centre, net mending centre, fish drying yard, rest room and radio transmission centre, they added.
Deputy Director of Fisheries E. Kathavarayan, Executive Engineer (Fishing harbour division, Thoothukudi) P. Muthukumar and Assistant Executive Engineer (Fishing harbour, Ramanathapuram sub-division) G. Nagarathinam were present during the inspection.