5.12.13

Vizhinjam Port snippets

The Kerala state government has floated a global tender to choose the private partner for operating the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport. This assumes significance since the tender has been floated a day after an expert committee of the environment ministry recommended environmental clearance for the Rs.5,000-crore project.
Speaking to reporters after uploading the tender documents on the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) website, chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government did not want to lose any time in inviting the global tender. “We could achieve this and managed to take the project forward despite some hurdles,’’ he said.
An EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) tender was also floated on Wednesday for the construction of breakwater and fish-landing centre. The construction can begin by June next year and is expected to be completed by June 2016. The total estimated cost for the work is Rs.1,250 crore.
If the port operator can be finalised by May next year, they can start the work for the container berths by May 2015, such that by January 2018, the port will become operational, said minister for ports K Babu.
Finance minister K M Mani, industries minister P K Kunhalikutty and health minister V S Sivakumar were also present on the occasion.

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