The Hindu Business Line : Kerala to float fresh tender for Vizhinjam project

The Government will start work on putting in place basic infrastructure such as rail and road connectivity and electricity and water supply to the project site.

Thiruvananthapuram , Dec. 15

An all-party meeting called by the Kerala Government has decided to go in for fresh global tender to implement the long-delayed international container transhipment terminal at Vizhinjam, near here.

The decision comes in the wake of the Centre's refusal to give security clearance to a consortium of Indian and Chinese companies that bagged an earlier global tender for the project.

The consortium comprised Mumbai-based Zoom Developers and two Chinese companies, namely Kaidi Electric Company and China Harbour Engineering Company.

The Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, and the Minister for Ports, Mr M. Vijayakumar, said after the meeting that the tender would be floated without further delay.

Also, the Government would ensure total transparency all through the tender process.

They said that the Government would, meanwhile, start work on putting in place basic infrastructure such as rail and road connectivity and electricity and water supply to the project site. This would cost around Rs 80 crore and the current year's budget had earmarked Rs 10 crore for the purpose.

The transhipment container terminal is estimated to cost Rs 4,350 crore and the work is scheduled to be completed in three phases.

The State Government has set up a company - Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd - to take up work on infrastructure development.

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