The Kerala government has identified 300 acres of land across five locations in the Thiruvananthapuram district, for the auxiliary development of Vizhinjam International Port. The move is to acquire land held by private individuals by paying compensation, with meetings to be held with landowners soon. The land, located within a 20-kilometre radius of the port, was identified through Kinfra.
Construction of the Vizhinjam International Port began during the tenure of the previous Oommen Chandy government. However, discussions on auxiliary facilities started only after the first phase was completed, pushing up land prices in areas around the port.a
The government had earlier proposed turning the Vizhinjam–Kazhakkoottam stretch into a logistics corridor, but companies showed little interest due to limited land availability. At the investors’ meet held in January, Dubai-based Sharaf Group had announced an investment of ₹5,000 crore in Vizhinjam. With the industries department unable to secure adequate land, this and several other projects remain stuck midway.
Experts note that the absence of an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the port is another setback. An ICP enables quick immigration and customs clearance for both cargo and passengers. At present, crew members cannot disembark or join duty without delay.
Recently, a crew member on MSC Rikku had to be taken out through the Kerala Maritime Board’s integrated check post following a medical emergency. Port authorities said approval for a dedicated ICP is in its final stages and could be granted in the coming months.
Currently, Vizhinjam’s main activity is transshipment, where cargo is shifted from mother ships to smaller vessels. Yet, the state has not realised the full benefits of the port due to the absence of road connectivity. The government expects that once road and rail links are in place, ancillary industries will follow. Efforts are also under way to push development through the Vizhinjam–Kollam–Punalur growth triangle.
