Construction work at Vizhinjam port to begin soon

Construction work on the first phase of the Vizhinjam International Deepsea Container Terminal, the country's largest container port, will begin in a few months, state's port minister K Babu, said today.

The port project, with an estimated investment of Rs4,010 crore, is expected to be ready in five years.

"The process of getting security clearance from the centre is on and the state government expects to flag off the first container ship from the new terminal in 2015," Babu said.

The government will ensure that the infrastructure facilities for the terminal are completed by next year so as to ensure export promotion benefits, he said, adding that it has also been decided to install an electronic data inter-exchange system at the terminal.

Meanwhile, the state government is giving importance to sea-based transportation, according to the minister.

He said the plan is to integrate 17 small and medium ports in Kerala with the Vizhinjam and Vallarpadam container terminals to improve cargo movement by sea as part of a comprehensive development programme.

The plan assumes importance since highway construction in the state has been held up due to protests over construction of express highways in areas of high population density and shortage of land, he said.

The government is also working on a proposal to woo private investors for the development of minor ports in the state, in order to ensure optimum utilisation of its geographical advantage, he said.

The proposal will be presented at 'Emerging Kerala, the Global Investors' Meet' to be held in April 2012.