THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The state government would sign the concession agreement with Adani Ports for the construction of the Vizhinjam seaport in a month, Ports Minister K Babu said on Tuesday. Making a statement in the Assembly, he said the Ahmedabad-based firm had received the Letter of Award (LoA) from the government and conveyed its agreement.
The minister reiterated that the construction of the port would begin on November 1, ‘Keralappiravi’ day. The state government, hounded by a controversy that the Congress high command was opposed to Adani, had issued the LoA on Monday. For taking up the Rs 7,525-crore project, the Adani Group had requested a grant of Rs 1,635 crore from the government, which the government had accepted. The State Cabinet had approved Adani’s bid on June 10. Babu said the government had acquired 90 per cent of the 230 acres required for the project. The detailed project report was ready and acquisition would begin soon, he said. With the Opposition LDF stiffly objecting to handing the project to Adani, the UDF government had convened an all-party meet, but it proved inconclusive.