Two-year time frame for phase-I work of Vellayil harbour.

The first phase of the work on the Rs.39.3-crore Vellayil fishing harbour will take at least two years to complete, the Harbour Engineering Department said recently.

The harbour is considered a major step to revive the sizeable fishing community of Vellayil, and its foundation stone-laying ceremony was inaugurated by the Chief Minister in May 2013. The harbour is expected to be fully functional in four years.

But though the government had promised to start the first phase of the work in August last year, the work had suffered some delay due to incomplete tender processes for major components of the harbour such as breakwater, wharf, fish auction hall, dredging, and reclamation works.

Rough sea conditions had also contributed to the delay in launching the work.

THE HINDU