Chennai, Dec 25 : The construction of river training walls and additional infrastructure at the fish landing centre in Chandirapadi village in Tamil Nadu's Tharangambadi has gathered significant momentum and is expected to be completed by March 2026, officials said, well ahead of the stipulated deadline of December next year.

The Rs 32-crore project is being implemented under the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) scheme through the Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Department. The project aims to strengthen coastal protection measures and improve fish landing infrastructure for the local fishing community that depends on the Nandalar estuary for daily fishing operations.

Chandirapadi is a traditional fishing village with about 2,895 fisherfolk engaged in marine fishing using 13 mechanised boats and 212 fibre boats.

The estuary and landing facilities are vital for sustaining livelihoods in the village. According to T. Gowthaman, Assistant Engineer, Fisheries Department, the ongoing works include the construction of stone pitching river training walls extending 260 metres on the southern side and 220 metres on the northern side of the river, a 60-metre-long boat berthing jetty, and dredging of around 96,250 cubic metres to improve navigability and safety.

The project commenced in February 2025 and has achieved nearly 75 per cent physical progress. â??Work on the jetty is currently underway. Dredging is yet to begin and is expected to commence within a month. At present, about 235 metres of the southern wall and 205 metres of the northern wall have been completed,â?? the official said.

Earlier, a fish landing centre was constructed at Chandirapadi for Rs 10 crore and inaugurated on August 20, 2024. The facility includes a 75-metre boat berthing jetty, a fish auction hall, a net mending shed, 150 metres of road connectivity, and dredging of 50,000 cubic metres at the river mouth.

Based on requests from fisherfolk, further infrastructure improvement works are now being taken up. Fishermen in Chandirapadi have welcomed the pace of work, noting that the new facility will significantly reduce their dependence on distant harbours.

â??At present, we berth our boats at Poompuhar and Tirumullaivasal, which involves considerable travel. Once this facility is fully completed, most of our difficulties will be resolved,â?? said Martin, a fisherman from the village.

Meanwhile, officials said the long-standing demand of Chandirapadi villagers for the construction of short groynes along the coast to arrest sea erosion is also moving forward. The proposal is awaiting a bathymetry survey by a team from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, which is expected to be carried out in January 2026.

/IANS