State govt approves Muthalapozhi harbour upgrade

T'puram: The state govt has approved the upgradation and expansion of the Muthalapozhi harbour in the state capital. The approval was granted by the fisheries department on Nov 22. The harbour engineering department (HED) will invite tenders for the breakwater construction and harbour upgrade within a month.According to an HED official, the tender proceedings have started. Two tenders will be called, one each for breakwater and harbour upgradation in Dec. "Work on both components will begin in the current financial year. A pre-qualification bid meeting will be held soon to ensure that qualified bidders are participating in the tender process," the official said.Centre is set to fund 60% of the project cost and the state govt the remaining 40%. The project was initially estimated at Rs 163 crore but was revised to Rs 177 crore due to the inclusion of additional components aimed at enhancing the harbour's safety and infrastructure.A detailed project report (DPR) for the development was prepared based on a model study conducted by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune, which was tasked with identifying solutions to mitigate the risks caused by unscientific construction at the harbour. Frequent fatal accidents involving fishing vessels at the harbour's entrance, where the Vamanapuram River meets the Arabian Sea, prompted the state to take action. The CWPRS study recommended increasing the length of the south-side breakwater by 425 meters as a key safety measure and sand bypassing method.Additionally, the project includes the construction of a new wharf, an auction house, restrooms, water tanks, and the renovation of roads and parking areas, along with electrical and water supply works.