Vizhinjam Port: Second phase of construction to begin on Saturday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the construction of the next phase of development work of the Vizhinjam port at 4 pm on the 24th. Minister V.N. Vasavan will preside.

Union Minister for Ports and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal will be the chief guest. Ministers K. Rajan, V. Sivankutty, K.N. Balagopal, Saji Cherian, G.R. Anil, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan, Mayor V. V. Rajesh, MPs Shashi Tharoor, A.A. Rahim, John Brittas, Adoor Prakash, MLAs M. Vincent, V. Joy, O.S. Ambika, V. Sasi, D. K. Murali, Kadakampally Surendran, V.K. Prasanth, G. Stephen, C.K. Hareendran, I.B. Satheesh, K. Ansalan, Adani Ports Managing Director Karan Adani, Ports Department Secretary Dr. A. Kaushigan, Central Ports Secretary Vijay Kumar, Adani Ports Director Ashwani Gupta, Vizhinjam Port CEO Pradeep Jayaraman, VISL MD Divya S. Iyer, Maritime Board Chairman N.S. Pillai and others will participate. The total investment in the second phase is Rs 9700 crore.

In a press conference, Minister V.N. Vasavan said that Rs. 1498 crore has been allocated for the provision of ancillary facilities for the Vizhinjam port. The Vizhinjam-Navaikulam ring road project has not been abandoned. The minister also said that land acquisition has begun in two panchayats for the railway line to the port.