THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Expressing dissatisfaction over the slow pace of International Multi-purpose Deepwater Seaport project at Vizhinjam, the assembly committee on public sector undertaking will recommend government intervention to set things straight. It would suggest the chief minister to hold a high level meeting with the Adani Group to review the work. The committee visited the project site on Thursday and discussed the issues with the Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited, concessionaire of the project. It directed them to complete the work of breakwater within six months. The committee report will be tabled before legislative assembly.
The committee chairperson C Divakaran said a high level meeting by chief minister should give the private partner a clear message that they cannot not delay the project indefinitely. “The Adani Group had won the contract in a favourable manner as it was the lone bidder. Though they set a four year target they have not even finished 10 per cent of the work of the breakwater,” said Divakaran. The company officers informed the committee about the lack of availability of rock required for the construction of the break water. But the committee was not pleased with the explanation. “They should have done the homework before taking up the project. The company officials did not have answers to some of the direct questions from committee members,” said Divakaran. He said the committee asked the company officers if they faced any issues related to labour, locals and land. The committee consisted of MLAs such as M Vincent, Sunny Joseph, S Rajendran and M Ummer.
The Vizhinjam Seaport project had taken up the `7,525 crore project to cater to container trans-shipment besides multi-purpose and break bulk cargo. Adani Vizhinjam Port Private limited had commenced the construction on December 5, 2015, but failed to meet the deadline of phase 1 of December 3, 2019. The government extended the deadline for completing phase 1 to December 2020.