State govt.’s intervention sought to ensure better facilities at Beypore harbour

An action committee comprising fishermen, boat owners, and representatives of various trade unions from Beypore has sought the urgent intervention of the State government to address the long-pending development concerns related to the Beypore fishing harbour.

Citing insufficient anchoring facilities for over 500 fishing boats, they expressed disappointment over the discontinued dredging work at the harbour, as the dredger brought to the site two months ago was found unsuitable for the timely completion of the task. 

“There should be improved anchoring facilities considering the growing number of boats arriving from other States and Lakshadweep. Though the number of native boats is around 500 at present, the total may reach nearly 1,000 with the full-fledged operation of boats from other States after the trawling ban period,” said Karichali Preman, chairman of the action committee. He also pointed out that the length of the harbour was inadequate to accommodate the growing requirements.

The action committee members alleged that the request to establish a government-run boat maintenance yard continued to be overlooked, forcing many boat operators to rely on the expensive services of private agencies. They pointed out that several operators were left with no option but to send their boats to private maintenance yards in Kochi incurring additional expenses and inconvenience as local agencies were unable to handle all service requests at once.

“A quality and spacious auction hall is another key development need at Beypore. There should be better restroom facilities for fishers. There are also complaints regarding the pending water supply arrangements for fishing boats,” said Mohammed Haneefa, convener of the action committee. He added that the improvement of parking facilities for vehicles continues to be neglected.

A meeting of Coastal Vigilance Committee members convened by the Beypore police on Sunday to review coastal safety issues also discussed development concerns related to the limited anchoring facilities at the harbour. The committee members also stressed the need to monitor the entry of migrant fishers from Bangladesh and other States without proper identity cards.

In another recent review meeting of the Beypore Harbour Development Society, convened by the District Collector, some action committee members who were also part of the society presented key development requirements before the district administration. Fisheries department sources said a new master plan would be considered giving priority to the projected needs.

Published - June 16, 2025 12:00 am IST