Vizhinjam project: EIA to be over by June 2012

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The three-season Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the multi-crore Vizhinjam seaport project is expected to be completed by June next.Public hearings will be conducted one month after the EIA findings are made public, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) officials said. ‘’The process is going on. At present, representatives of L&T Ramboll and Asian Consulting Engineers, who are conducting the EIA, are at Vizhinjam for inspections,’’ said VISL CEO Suresh Babu.  By January, the design team of Aecom, the consultants for master plan, EPC document and design, will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram for consultations. On Tuesday, a detailed presentation was held here for finalising the proposed alignment for rail connectivity to the port. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) has submitted a detailed project report on the alignment. In all, 48 hectares will be acquired for laying the tracks. This component is estimated to cost  Rs 350 crore, excluding land value, VISL officials said. The project aims at connecting the port to Balaramapuram.An all-party meeting convened by Ports Minister K Babu here on Tuesday was attended by elected representatives from the project area, district-level leaders of major political parties, representatives, VISL officials and project consultants. The State Government has also sought financial help from the Centre for the rail connectivity component.Clearance from Home Ministry awaited:The State Government is waiting for the Home Ministry to clear the two bidders to finalise the port operator for the Vizhinjam project. Mundra Ports and SEZ and a consortium led by Welspun Infratech Ltd had got their technical bids cleared by the State Government, but the Government had announced that the financial bids would be opened only after obtaining the necessary clearance from the Centre.The Defence and External Affairs Ministries have already cleared the bidders.