Thiruvananthapuram: Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd plans to conduct a road show in Mumbai this month in association with the Planning Board and Planning Commission to showcase the proposed Rs 3,640-crore Vizhinjam international terminal, capable of hosting the largest mother ships.
Making a statement under Rule 300 in the Assembly on Monday, ports minister K.Babu said there was some delay in drafting the final report owing to repeat studies by the project consultant, International Financial Corporation, and apprehensions raised by some organizations. The latest report resolved all technical issues comprehensively.
The detailed project report and master plan had been revised to accommodate 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) instead of 9,000 TEUs. But the estimate had increased from Rs 2,616 crore to Rs 3,640 crore, excluding funds spent on land and infrastructure.
The landlord model development would ensure the Centre’s viability gap funding. Global tenders were invited on December 4 for the engineering, procurement and construction of breakwater, fish landing centre and berths for Coast Guard and Indian Navy and the PPP for work associated with dredging, reclamation berth, superstructure equipment and operation.
The tender deadline was extended to February 4 and the work would start this year. The State Government had allotted Rs 629 crore to VISL and of this Rs 421 crore was spent during the UDF term.
Out of the total 214 acres notified for the project, 192 acres had been acquired.
The work on water supply lines was over and rail connectivity study report was ready. The environment clearance would be sent to the Railways for clearance, after which land acquisition for rail connectivity would start.
The Government had approached all authorities, including the Prime Minister, for the waiver of cabotage law. Vizhinjam is the only green field port project to get the environment clearance.
