THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Various city-based organisations and forums have urged the government to speed up paperwork and finalise a decision on the bid submitted by Adani Ports. The Ahmedabad-based firm had emerged the lone bidder for the multi-crore Vizhinjam seaport project on Friday. The Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) has urged all stakeholders to ‘stand together’ to make this ambitious project a reality.
“After a wait for more than 30 long years, the tendering process for the development of Vizhinjam port is finally complete. The TCCI would want Kerala government to act expeditiously and ensure that the project is in implementation mode immediately. “A mother port at Vizhinjam would act as a major economic driver for the capital region,” TCCI president P Ganesh and secretary Suresh Mathew said in a statement.The Trivandrum Development Front (TDF) welcomed the development and urged the government to swiftly complete the procedures.
“This is a major milestone for holistic development and will usher the state economy towards prosperity. The bid by Adani Ports is a positive outcome of Kerala’s efforts to project its investor-friendliness and has provided a golden opportunity to the government for reiterating the same,” TDF president Ramkumar and secretary Sreeram said in a statement.
The price bid submitted by Adani Ports, which seeks Rs 1,635 crore as grant from the State Government, is being studied by the project advisors and will be handed over soon to the empowered committee headed by Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson.
A final decision will be taken after the committee’s decision is discussed by the Cabinet, Ports Minister K Babu had said on Friday.The deadline for bidding for the project had ended at 5.30 p.m. on Friday.
According to Adani’s proposal, the private partner will have to shell out Rs 4,089 crore, to which a grant of Rs 1,635 crore is being sought. The total project cost has been pegged at Rs 7,525 crore.
