Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian inaugurated nine coastal roads that were constructed under the Harbour Engineering Department’s coastal road improvement project in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.
Mr. Cherian dedicated as many as 75 roads constructed in 37 Assembly constituencies of nine coastal districts at a cost of ₹47.37 crore to the State through video-conference.
In Thiruvananthapuram district, seven roads in Chirayinkeezhu constituency and two roads in Attingal constituency were completed under the project.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister elaborated on the development and welfare measures that were being undertaken to uplift coastal communities. The government has been going ahead with various projects including the Punargeham housing project, deep-sea fishing, insurance cover, and harbour management works for the welfare of the fisher folk and the comprehensive development of coastal regions.
Efforts are also being made to introduce a law to regulate fish storage, marketing, and quality control in order to protect the fishing community from middlemen, he added.
The government had set a target to construct 307 roads along the coastal belt at a cost of ₹142.75 crore. While 100 roads have been commissioned thus far, 104 others were under construction. The tender process was under way for the rest of the proposed roads.
The roads that were constructed in the Chirayinkeezhu constituency include Azhoor market–Kolichira road, Kavinmoola–Chandiram road, Vadiyil road in Kadinamkulam, Thittayil road in Azhoor, St. James Thekevila road, Mathathumukku Ayikkudi road, and Santhipuram Maryanad road.
Koottikkada–Kanjiramvila road in Ottoor grama panchayat and Kumali Vilakunnu– Bungalow colony road in Cherunniyoor grama panchayat were the roads that were inaugurated in the Attingal constituency.
Chirayinkeezhu and Attingal MLAs V. Sasi and O.S. Ambika presided over the inaugural functions that were held in their respective constituencies.
