NHAI Expected to Approve Link Road Connecting Vizhinjam Port and NH 66 Soon.

As the Vizhinjam International Seaport gears up for commissioning in December, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is poised to approve an interim road connectivity proposal linking the port site to NH 66, along with a proposed cloverleaf design for permanent access.

The NHAI's regional office has recommended the proposal for approval from its headquarters in New Delhi, which is anticipated in November. The detailed designs were recently submitted by Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL), a state-owned company. Once the approval is granted, construction of the interim road connectivity will begin.

A senior official from VISL stated that container movement via road is expected to commence within three months of the port's opening. “Discussions with the NHAI and the Adani Group are in the final stages. VISL has submitted proposals for interim arrangements to ensure cargo movement begins promptly. This includes cutting a section of the median on NH 66 to allow trucks to easily make U-turns or enter the approach road. Warning signs and boards will need to be erected at least 1 km ahead of the entry points on both sides of the highway. We have submitted this as a package, encompassing both interim and long-term arrangements,” the official explained.

In parallel, VISL and the Adani Group are advancing plans for interim rail connectivity. They are considering converting either Nemom or Balaramapuram railway stations into container rail terminals (CRTs) to facilitate smooth container movement until the proposed tunnel railway project is operational. Nemom station is seen as the most viable option due to its ample space for container storage, though Neyyattinkara station is also under consideration. Approval from Indian Railways is pending but expected soon.

VISL has successfully acquired most of the land required for road connectivity, having obtained 35.81 cents of the 42 cents needed from landowners. However, an additional 20 acres must be acquired by the state government to construct the cloverleaf intersection, a process projected to take two years. Once the NHAI approval is finalized and land acquisition is completed, the tender process will begin immediately. Meanwhile, once cargo operations start, vehicles will use the approach road, travel along the right-side service road of NH 66, and merge onto the highway.

The state budget has prioritized the Vizhinjam project, emphasizing the acceleration of road and rail connectivity to the port. A social impact assessment report has indicated that 29 families will be affected by the road project.

ET