The Kerala government Monday said construction of the much-awaited Vizhinjam International Seaport near here would be completed in a "time-bound manner" though cyclone Ockhi and floods had adversely affected the pace of the multi-crore project.
The acute shortage of granite has also hit the project but district collectors were entrusted to take urgent steps to resolve the issue, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the state Assembly.
He was replying to a question raised by opposition UDF legislators regarding the Rs 7,525 crore-seaport project.
However, the Chief Minister was not ready to specify whether the project could meet the proposed deadline of December 4 this year.
"Ockhi cyclone and the floods had affected the project adversely. There was a scarcity of granite. But, steps have been taken to make it available and district collectors have been entrusted with the task," he said.
"There is no need for any anxiety that the project will be delayed. It will be completed in a time-bound manner," Vijayan added.
The agreement for the project was signed with M/S Adani Vizhinjam Port Limited during the previous UDF rule and the company started construction on December 5, 2015.
As per the contract agreement, the port is scheduled to be completed by December 4, 2019.
State Minister for Ports and Museums, Kadannappally Ramachandran said Adani group had sought an extension of 16 months for the completion of the project citing delays in the wake of the Ockhi cyclone, but the government had rejected the plea.
A total of 70 lakh tonnes granite was needed for the project and steps had been taken taken to bring some quantities from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu via sea, he said.
Congress legislators criticised the government for not specifying whether the project would be completed on schedule.
The Vizhinjam seaport project, designed primarily to cater to container trans-shipment besides multi-purpose and break bulk cargo, is being developed by the Kerala government in collaboration with the Adani Group.
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