Kerala plans world-class seaport with NRI help

Wednesday, 07 July 2004, 19:30 IST
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the country's first privately funded international airport at Kerala's coastal town of Kochi in 1999, efforts are now on to build a world class seaport with help from cash-rich non-resident Keralites (NRKs). State minister M.V. Raghavan is working overtime to ensure that the port at Vizhinjam, near the famous Kovalam beach just outside this state capital, becomes a reality. He recently went on a tour of South Africa, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and Malta inviting companies to build the port under a build operate transfer basis. "I have asked companies who showed interest in my proposal to come here for discussions. Some companies have been invited for talks later this month," the minister said. Even if nothing comes out of the talks, the government would float a company with NRKs and go ahead with building the port, he said. To be built at a cost of 45 billion (about $1 billion), with the first phase costing 15 billion, the Vizhinjam port would be built over an area of 150 acres. The government has given an assurance that local fishing population would not be displaced. Unlike most other ports in the country, the one at Vizhinjam would require no dredging at all. More important, it lies close to the international waters and would put India on a busy trade route. "When complete, this would become the gateway port of our country. As of now, big ships do not berth in any of our ports and move on to Colombo, Singapore and Dubai. The cargo is then transferred to smaller ships that bring it into the country. When Vizhinjam is ready, there would be no trans-shipment," said Raghavan.
Source: IANS