Vizhinjam port rail link to be completed swiftly under Centre’s PM Gati Shakti plan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre has taken over the construction of the Vizhinjam-Balaramapuram railway line connecting the Vizhinjam International Seaport to the main railway network. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project has been included in the PM Gati Shakti master plan. The Union minister stated this in a written reply to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP P.P. Suneer in the Rajya Sabha.

At present, under the agreement, the construction and maintenance of the railway line was being carried out by Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL), under the state government, with Indian Railways overseeing the work. The project was likely to be delayed due to financial constraints.

With its inclusion in the PM Gati Shakti plan, the Railways has taken over the construction and maintenance of the line. This will enable the project to be completed swiftly without financial constraints, the source said.

Construction of the 10.7-km railway line connecting Vizhinjam port with Balaramapuram station on the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil route is currently under way. The construction agreement between Southern Railway and Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) was entered into in accordance with the Railway Ministry’s public-private partnership policy.

The operation of train services and traffic control will be entirely the responsibility of Indian Railways.
Connecting the port to the railway network will help speed up cargo movement and significantly enhance the Indian Railways’ multimodal logistics capabilities.