Govt seeks green nod for 2nd and 3rd phase of Vizhinjam Port project

THIRUVANANTHPURAM : The state government has initiated the second and third phases of development for the Vizhinjam International Seaport.

Before commencing construction, a public hearing for environmental clearance is scheduled for June 29 in Vizhinjam. The Adani Group has committed an investment of Rs 9540 crore towards completing the second and third phase of port development.

Previously, International Sea Port Limited (ISPL) submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment Report to the Pollution Control Board (PCB) based on the project’s master plan. Following public feedback, the final report will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for approval. It is anticipated that environmental clearances for port development will be obtained within the next three months.

The Adani Group aims to commence construction of the second and third phases before the commissioning of the first phase. The objective is to complete all three phases by 2028. The first phase of development costs Rs 7700 crore and was implemented in a public-private partnership (PPP) model. However, the Adani Group must provide full funding for the development of phase two and three.

The workforce is expected to increase to 2700 positions to support construction needs. Phase one will witness an extension of the berth by 800 metres, while the second phase will extend it to 1200 metres and the third phase to 2000 meters. Additionally, breakwater construction will extend to 3.9 kilometres from the current 2.9 kilometres.

The target for phase one is to handle one million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually, which will rise to three million TEUs when phase three is complete. The trial run for phase one is scheduled for June. All necessary preparations for construction have been completed. The government is expected to commission the first phase of the project by Onam.