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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Work on the first phase of the Vizhinjam international

container transhipment terminal will be completed in three years, Law Minister M.
Vijayakumar has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Friday, Mr.Vijayakumar said construction of the

terminal was estimated to cost Rs.5,348 crore. The first phase was expected to cost Rs.2,390
crore. As many as 23 companies, including six foreign companies, secured tender forms for
the project. The tender would be finalised in December, he said.

Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas said the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was
incurring a daily loss of Rs.54 crore. The daily revenue is Rs.230 crore and expenditure
Rs.284 crore. The debt of the corporation till March 31 is Rs.4.74 crore. Education Minister
M.A. Baby said steps had been taken to lessen the weight of school bags. The textbooks for
classes two, four, six, eight and SSLC will be divided into two sections and printed separately
so that they will not have to carry all the books every day. Steps have been taken to distribute
the textbooks on time. As many as 13 educational institutions in the State have got minority
status. While the State granted the status to two institutions, 11 institutions secured the status
from the national minority commission.

Source: The Hindu

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Proposed project aims to fulfill the need of providing Transshipment on Indian Coast ‰

 
     

  
   
 
  

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or minimal capital dredging requirements and thus low costs (as compared to the any other
port in India within a reasonable distance from the East-West Shipping axis).

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It has more advantages compared to Colombo port and if developed can harbour even
Panamax class and futuristic vessels. It also satisfies the physical and hydrographical
parameters of modern seaports, the memorandum said.
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maintenance dredging during the years of operation. This will result in #+5.

The proposed port is a $

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master planned and shaped by the professional and experienced developer as per his own
efficient designs and needs. The Port can turn out to be an efficient, modern and highly
productive port with design, expertise and experience of the successful developer having
international experience in such ports.

 


 
  

  
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economic development of India other than opening up immense job opportunities.

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The study, carried out IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation and Hauer Associates,
has also found that the Sethusamudram project will promote inter-coastal movements of
Indian cargo, enhancing the potential of Vizhinjam as a trans-shipment hub.

On the other hand, the 

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shipped through the nearby foreign ports of Colombo, Singapore and Salalah (Oman.) This
results in an additional burden of up to $200 per TEU of cargo interests with freight paid by
Indian exporters being 11.4 per cent of the c.i.f (cost, insurance, freight) value of goods as
against the world average of 6.1 per cent.

Notwithstanding the location of Vizhinjam in the deep South, 

 
  

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the hinterland of the port may extend to the western and northern parts of the country.

Once the port is up, Indian exporters will not have to travel to Dubai or Singapore for trans-
shipment of cargo.     0 %&:::

    


The National Highways (NH-47-in use for years) NH-47 Bypass (partly completed and
balance 6-8 Km under implementation) are in close proximity (Bypass at 3 Km & NH at 10
Km) and national rail network is less than 12 Km from the proposed port site. On one side
NH-47 connects Thiruvananthapuram to Salem via Coimbatore and to Kanyakumari on the
other side. At Kanyakumari, NH-47 would connect to the proposed N-S corridor (between
Kashmir and Kanyakumari) being implemented under National Highway Development
Project (NHDP) of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). New alignment connecting
Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari is also proposed by NHAI under NHDP, the detailing
of the same is underway (to be followed by implementation).

Traffic handled at Major Ports in April 06 to Sep'06(Provisional figures).


Source: Mumbai Port Trust Website.