Ensure smooth sailing for Vizhinjam linkages
Kerala had welcomed the first ship at Vizhinjam International Seaport with much jubilation as it marked the realisation of a decade’s developmental aspiration for the state. Being the southern tip of India, Vizhinjam is strategically poised to consolidate and transfer Indian and regional cargo to mainline vessels at lower costs than routing them via Colombo. It is also an ideal fuel bunkering location for international vessels. The port, with its proximity to international shipping routes connecting Europe, Persian Gulf and East Asia, is said to be having the potential to be a game changer for commerce as well as tourism in the state.
But there seems to be a catch. The state’s financial crunch is now delaying the development of road connectivity between the Vizhinjam port and the nearby NH66. While the Adani Group is responsible for developing the road, the land needed for the work has to be acquired by the state government, which owns the port. The project involves constructing a 2-km, four-lane road to link the port with the national highway. Any delay in ensuring connectivity between the port with the rest of the country will annul all the possibilities that Vizhinjam is capable of. The company will be able to initiate the tender proceedings for constructing the approach road after getting the NHAI’s approval; the NHAI will grant final approval only after the state government completes the formalities regarding land acquisition.
The state’s financial duress is a reality. But the government should not allow that to affect a project like Vizhinjam, which is capable of turning around the state’s economy. The state government must earmark a special fund towards this purpose and must also set a deadline for the project’s completion. Without proper connectivity, the port, expected to be fully functional by the end of 2024, will not be able to realise its full potential. Indian ports suffer from a woeful lack of capacity; Vizhinjam, with its natural depth, is a solution to that. Keeping this in mind, the state and Union governments must work together and address every bottleneck associated with the project at the earliest.