Serious efforts will be made to expedite the work on the Vizhinjam international container transshipment terminal in view of the political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka that is expected to improve the possibilities of the Vizhinjam port, Minister for Ports Ahmed Devarkovil has said.
He was speaking after visiting the port on Thursday.
Of the 3.1-km breakwater, work on 1,810 m had been completed by laying granite boulders. It needed to be strengthened by planting accropode before the monsoon. The breakwater construction would continue throughout the monsoon season this year whenever the sea was not rough. Eighteen barges had been pressed into operation for the work, said the Minister.
Steps had been taken to procure granite boulders from eight new quarries. A total of 26 hectares of land had been cleared for port-related development activities. The Minister said that the work was progressing as planned and the first ship would reach Vizhinjam by December 2022. After the completion of the breakwater, the remaining works related to dredging, reclamation of sea, and container berth works would be resumed.
The junction development of the National Highway here would be completed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and land acquisition was under way, said Mr. Devarkovil.
