The Hindu Business Line : Vallarpadam project: Minister moots meeting with Kerala Govt

Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd officials say that unless the land is handed over to them, they can not complete the rail connectivity in the required time frame.

Our Bureau

Kochi, Oct. 11

The meeting convened by the Union Shipping Minister to review the progress of Vallarpadam Container Transshipment Terminal project has requested the Union Cabinet Secretary to call a meeting to sort out the land acquisition issue with the Kerala Government required for the connectivity projects.

Land acquisition issue

It was pointed out in the meeting that the State Government had yet to hand over the required six hectares for the rail connectivity to the Vallarpadam site. The land acquisition for the project was hampered by protests from land owners, who refused hand over the land. Even though the State Government had assured to hand over the land at the earliest, nothing has happened so far.

Highly placed sources, who attended the meeting in New Delhi, pointed out that the Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) officials informed the meeting that unless the land was handed over to them, they would not be able to complete the rail connectivity before the deadline.

RVNL had only commenced the work only in backwaters and simultaneously they had to commence the work in the land area to complete the project on time, the sources said adding, that as per the contractual obligations with the terminal operator, DP World, the rail and road connectivity has to be ready by April 2009.

Road connectivity

However, the meeting had expressed satisfaction over the progress of the road connectivity work taken up by the National Highway Authority of India.

The meeting was of the view that there was a considerable progress in the land acquisition work as almost 70 per cent of the work was over.

The State Government was represented by the Additional Chief Secretary at the meeting convened by the Shipping Minister.

He had informed the meeting that the acquisition for the remaining land would be carried out expeditiously, the source said.

The main works to be completed prior to the setting up of the container transshipment terminal project is the 4-lane highway connectivity project to Vallarpadam from Kalamassery, the rail connection from the project site to Edappally and dredging work in the channel.