Kozhikode: Two fishing harbours in Kozhikode district, Vellayil and Koyilandi, will benefit from the ₹26-crore allocation for harbour development in the State Budget.
According to Fisheries Department officials, the development of Koyilandy and Vellayil harbours will benefit one lakh fishermen. The allocation will also help in improving facilities at fish auction halls, cold storage, parking lots, and berths for fishing boats.
The completion of various development projects initiated earlier for Koyilandy harbour had been pending for more than 10 years owing to fund crunch. It was in 2007 that harbour development works formally began. The project, which was passed in 2005, had also been approved by then Union government. However, the delay in its execution ended up with estimate revision several times.
Koyilandy MLA K. Dasan, who raised the issue of pending projects several times in the Assembly, said the reclamation of the required extend of land for further extension of the harbour was the main challenge. The construction of a better auction hall, canteen, and access road will be possible only if the reclamation drive is complete, he added.
The development of Vellayil harbour, which was formerly a fish landing centre, will mainly benefit urban fishers. The proposed development works will include construction of an administrative block, better approach road, parking area, and compound wall. It was in 2012 that the preliminary development works at the harbour were given administrative sanction by the government.
Fisheries Department officials said the harbour, on completion of the proposed development works, would be able to accommodate up to 250 fishing boats. The harbour will also be equipped to manage around 9,000 tonnes of fish on a regular basis, they pointed out.
