THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Expediting and completing the Rs 7,525-crore Vizhinjam port project would be a major challenge for the new government as the project is progressing at a snail’s pace owing to a slew of hurdles, including unavailability of rocks for breakwater construction, labour shortage and adverse weather.
An official of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd — the agency deployed by the government to monitor the project — said the critical component of the Vizhinjam International Container Terminal project is the breakwater. The construction of the 3.1km breakwater has faced major setbacks delaying the progress of the project.
According to officials, Adani Group — the concessionaire of the project — is struggling to source rocks to construct the breakwater. “The new government will have to review the project and come up with a catch-up plan to expedite the progress. The pandemic and lockdown have adversely affected the project,” said the official. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) order mandating 200 metres as the minimum distance between stone quarries and residential structures has come as another blow to the project.
“The state government has legally moved seeking exemption. It is the responsibility of the concessionaire to source the rocks and ensure timely completion of the project. They were supposed to complete the construction of the breakwater in December 2019. We extended the deadline as per the concessionaire agreement. The new government will have to make effective intervention to complete the project. There need to be a catch-up plan,” said the official.
The official said around 60 per cent of the other works associated with the project hasbeen completed. “We cannot bring in vessels without the completion of the breakwater. This is a natural coast and we need this barrier for docking the vessels,” the official said.
With the southwest monsoon around the corner, the work of the project is likely to be halted till October. “They will be able to complete the work in eight months but the work has to be halted during the monsoon. We need at least two to three working sessions to complete the project,” the official added.
The international multi-purpose deepwater seaport project was planned by the UDF government and the agreement with Adani Ports was signed in 2015. The project requires 360 acres of land, of which 130 acres have been reclaimed from the sea. A 10.9-km-long railway line is also part of it. According to the agreement, Adani Ports will operate the port for 40 years, extendable by 20 more years, while the state government will get a portion of the revenue after 15 years.