Kerala planning to invest Rs120b to develop ports

Kerala government will be investing Rs.120 billion for developing ports in the maritime state within the next three years.

Disclosing this in response to questions in the state assembly yesterday, Ports Minister M Vijayakumar said the investments would be made with the participation of private parties. He said the state government had plans to set up a maritime board for the comprehensive development of the ports. The ports to be developed under the project include Azheekal, Kottayam and Beypore. Detailed project reports are already in place in respect of Azhikkal and Beypore ports and the government is in search for consultants to implement the project. The federal government has included Azhikkal port in its National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP). The port is proposed to be developed to the maximum possible capacity in phases and on modular basis at an investment of Rs.20 billion. The Beypore port, which is the second biggest in the state after Cochin port, is proposed to be developed as an all-weather port through public-private partnership. The port now handles around 100, 000 tonnes of cargo annually. The ports are being developed under the government's attempt to make Kerala a port state. With a coastline of around 590 km, Kerala has 17 intermediate and minor ports. The major port of Cochin is under the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India while the intermediate and minor ports are under the administration of the Government of Kerala.
Read More