NEW DELHI: The Union Defence Ministry has given clearance for the Vizhinjam project in Kerala, provided Indian Navy ships are allowed open access to the port and an officer of the Kochi-based Southern Naval Command is inducted on the port’s board to look after security-related issues.
The Rs. 5,348-crore project will now require security clearances from other Central agencies before a consortium led by Hyderabad-based Lanco Kondapalli Power Private Ltd, Lanco Infrastructure Limited and Malaysia-based Pembinaan Redzai Sdn. Bhd takes up the implementation of the project in two phases.
The Vizhinjam port will not require any dredging and will be built over 150 acres.
‘Total security clearance’ likely soon: Vijayakumar
‘What is really needed now is a political clearance’
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Now that the ‘defence clearance’ for setting up a mother port at Vizhinjam has been issued by the Centre, the ‘total security clearance’ for the port is also expected soon, the Minister for Ports M. Vijayakumar has said.
He was speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of a programme organised by the University of Kerala here on Tuesday.
The total security clearance includes an okay for the scheme from agencies such as the Intelligence Bureau and the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) from the Home Ministry. “I don’t expect any further delay for the total security clearance. What is really needed now is a political clearance for the scheme,” he said.
Once all the necessary clearances were in place, the government would constitute a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to execute the Vizhinjam project.
Though the port would be set up by a consortium of three companies, setting up the infrastructure facilities was the mandate of the government. It was estimated that Rs.162 crore would be required for this, the Minister said.
The government agency RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Services) had completed a feasibility study for providing rail and road links to the proposed port. The Kerala Water Authority had plans to bring water to the port from the Vellayani lake. An amount of Rs.4 crore would be needed for this. The required power supply would be taken care of by the KSEB.
Though all these things were to be put in place only after the port was set up, the government was already gearing up for these works, he added.
Source: The Hindu
