Follow Us
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also paid his tributes to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Thiruvananthapuram: At the Vizhinjam Port commissioning ceremony, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan began his address by paying tribute to the victims of the Pulwama terror attack. He stated that the unity and collective strength of the people empower the implementation of such projects. He expressed pride in this achievement and extended gratitude to the Adani Group and the Prime Minister. Notably, he did not mention Oommen Chandy in his speech.
This is a dream come true for Kerala, a moment of pride for the state. This is not merely the opening of a port gateway, but the opening of India's grand gateway to the development prospects of the third millennium, said the Chief Minister. This mega-project links India to the international maritime trade logistics map network. It is the willpower and determination of the LDF government in Kerala that has retrieved Vizhinjam from the forgotten pages of India's history, renovated, developed, and transformed it into an international port. It is becoming one of the most prominent ports in the world. He thanked everyone who contributed to its completion. The unity of the state and our collective strength are the reasons for the completion of this project. He also thanked the Adani Group for their cooperation. The Chief Minister's speech did not mention Oommen Chandy.
The Chief Minister stated that Vizhinjam is a testament to the LDF government's willpower. This is the first time in India that a major port construction is being undertaken at the initiative of a state. The state bears the majority of the cost. Out of a total of 8,686 crores, the state is contributing 5,370.86 crores, the Chief Minister said. Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited is investing the remaining 2,497 crores. The central government is providing a viability gap fund of 818 crores. With this port, the annual national loss of 220 million dollars is being addressed. 75% of container transshipment cargo was being diverted to foreign ports all this time. This is now ending. The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of pride for all Keralites that Kerala is able to solve the national loss to a large extent.
Related Articles
Chief Minister's words...
As per the agreement, this project was to be completed only in 2045. We did not wait for that. Commercial operations commenced in 2024 itself. The mothership was welcomed. Since then, more than 250 ships have anchored at Vizhinjam. Now, the first phase is being completed and commissioned a decade ahead of schedule. All phases of this will be completed by 2028. There were many adverse factors. The great flood, other natural calamities, epidemics including Covid, all these shook the economic structure. However, Kerala did not falter. The construction company also cooperated well and moved forward. This is a project conceived by the Left Democratic Front government of 1996 that is becoming a reality here. The project, which was uncertain in the interim. The International Finance Corporation was appointed in 2009 to study the project. Although the tender process was initiated in 2010, the central government denied permission at that stage. The subsequent phase was marked by protests, including a human chain for the project.
There was an agreement in 2015. However, it faced criticism at various levels. While all the criticisms persisted, we took the stand that the Vizhinjam project should be implemented. We adopted the policy that there should be no political divide in development matters. Accordingly, after coming to power in 2016, we took steps to develop Vizhinjam into a major port. That is what made Vizhinjam a reality today.
The misconceptions that vested interests tried to spread were overcome by taking the people into confidence. Legal hurdles were removed. Coastal rehabilitation and livelihood issues were resolved by spending 120 crores. The girls there were entrusted with jobs including crane operation. A skilling center was opened for local women. Thus, the government proceeded by resolving the problems and putting an end to the grievances.
More than 5,000 jobs are directly available as part of this port. We are ensuring that it benefits more people. There is no doubt that this port will greatly strengthen the development of Kerala and beyond, of India as a whole.