Vizhinjam deal to be inked today

Thiruvananthapuram: The government will sign a concession agreement with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited, the company formed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, for the development of the Vizhinjam International Transshipment Terminal, at the secretarial durbar hall at 5 p.m. on Monday.

The opposition from the Latin Catholic Church over the port construction eased following the government assurance on a better rehabilitation package for fishermen.

However, the issues relating to making available the remaining land for the port, uninterrupted access for the company to the quarries in the state and also relaxation in cabotage law are yet to be resolved.

Though 90 per cent of the 92.75 hectares of land needed for the project has been acquired, a total of 30.62 acres remained to be taken over.

The district collector’s earlier talks with the land owners had remained inconclusive as they opposed the move to reduce the prices.

The Adani Group had asked for unhindered access to quarries as there is a ban on inter-state movement of metal from adjoining Tamil Nadu.

Cabotage relaxation is needed only when the port becomes operational. Meanwhile, Adani Group chairman Gautham Adani is likely to meet Opposition Leader V.S. Achuthanandan on Monday to remove the Left parties’ misgivings on the project.