Visakhapatnam fishing harbour started bustling from Friday midnight onwards with fishermen heading into the sea, after being idle since April 15 due to the annual two-month ban on fishing, so that fish could regenerate during the period. However, their joy is overshadowed by lack of an auction room, where their catch could be sold, and good road facility, so that the fish could be transported to end users.
Visakhapatnam Port Authority had launched fishing harbour modernisation work in November 2022 at a cost of ₹151.81 crore under Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana. It involved reconstruction of fish auction buildings, elevated jetty platforms, desilting jetties, good road facility from the jetty to the main road, restrooms for fishermen, canteen and parking facilities, construction of new ice plants, cold storage facility for preserving fish and prawns, structures to facilitate fish import and export, and sewer works.
The contracting firm had committed to complete these works by November 30, 2023. As part of it, the contractor dug up all the roads even before the start of the fishing season in June 2023. This led to a confrontation between the fisherfolk and port officials. Despite a year passing, the contracting firm has not yet finished the work even as the two-month ban on fishing has ended. This has left the fishermen in a frustrated state. “Visakhapatnam district is the base for 2,547 boats of all types. Fishing industry sustains approximately 115,000 fishing families, with 25,000 people directly and indirectly relying on fishing. Grappling with lack of basic amenities puts our survival at stake,” said Veera Raju, president of Visakha Dolphin Boat Operators Welfare Association.