The Budget announcement to make Vizhinjam a major Exim Port drawing on the lines of Singapore, Rotterdam and Dubai ports rather than making it as a transhipment hub has received an overwhelming response from Kerala’s trade and the industry.
“We are happy to see the development happening at Vizhinjam as direct connectivity to the ports across the globe is a boon to the trade”, Binu K.S. of Kerala Steamer Agents Association said.
The trade and the industry across the South Indian peninsula was expecting the opening up of terminal gates for Exim trade since the start of trial operations. Now the transhipment is happening for international cargo in a massive way but the real intention is to get the benefits of transhipment to cargo of Indian origin and the local originating from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, he said.
The decision to launch the KLICK Portal (Kerala Land Bank for Industrial Corridor Development)- a platform will allow landowners and investors to engage in buying, renting, or leasing land to establish industries. This will change the business and industrial horizons of the State, he added.
Industrial hub
S.P. Kamath, President of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that the Vizhinjam-Kollam-Punalur Industrial and Economic Growth Triangle (VKP-GT) leveraging the Vizhinjam International Seaport would transform the State into an industrial hub. The project covering 1456 sq km aims to integrate the coastal, central, and hilly regions through enhanced road and rail connectivity, fostering economic growth and industrial development.
The completion of six-lane highway by December this year along with the ₹3061 crore project for developing roads and bridges is expected to enhance connectivity, improve logistics and facilitate smoother trade and commerce, he said.
Savio Mathew, Head, FICCI Kerala State Council said that the allocation of ₹1000 crore for the VKP-GT is a major step towards developing infrastructure facilities and connectivity. However, the port should look into handling domestic and inland cargoes as well. The authorities should also consider setting up cruise terminal at Vizhinjam in the long run, he said the government should also focus on getting rail connectivity to the port which is currently in the project stage.