Move to sabotage Vizhinjam Project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) goes to hold negotiations with Welspun Infratech Limited (India) today (Wednesday), a move to sabotage the Vizhinjam International Port Project has taken shape.


Sources underline the participation of a group including some eminent personalities behind the move.


The group propagates that the Welspun Infratech Limited (India) has no experience in constructing or conducting big ports such as the Vizhinjam. This group wants to avoid Welspun and go for a retender.


Meanwhile, some companies have come forward to undertake the construction works of the port once Welspun withdraws and a retender is called. GVK Group and Delma Emirates Group are two major companies that are eager to undertake Vizhinjam project.


GVK is a leading Indian conglomerate with diversified interests across various sectors including energy, resources, airports, transportation, hospitality and life sciences. Delma Emirates Group is a business group with multi-disciplinary infrastructure construction and associated activities as its core interest, supplemented by rapidly growing interests in trading, investment, manufacturing and technology.


Some of the slanders propagated are: (1) If Vizhinjam port is materialized then the lives of the local people would be in danger and the present shore would be engulfed by sea, (2) Vizhinjam port will adversely affect the tourism at Kovalam, (3) Vizhinjam port will not be profitable