Kerala to tender deepwater port project in March

MUMBAI, Dec 21 (AsiaPulse) - The Indian state of Kerala plans to invite global engineering, procurement and construction bids for the Rs 7,800 crore Vizhinjam Port by March and expects the results of an environment impact assessment (EIA) study on the project to be out by June, a top state government official has said. "We hope to float a global EPC tender for the Vizhinjam port project as early as March and also to get the EIA nod from the Union Environment Ministry by June-July," State PWD and Ports Secretary Manoj Joshi said here.

The EIA is being conducted by a consortium of L&T-Ramboll and Asian Consulting Engineers.

The EIA will assess the potential impact of the project on marine life and ecology, among other environmental issues.

Joshi also said Aecom, the global firm roped in as a consultant on the project, will reach the port site anytime now for an inspection. This inspection will be crucial in floating the global EPC tender.

Joshi was here as part of a delegation led by the State PWD Minister V K Ebrahim Kunju to study concrete roads in the city.

Kunju said his government will convert the 25-km Seaport-Airport Road in Kochi into concrete and expressed hope that work could begin before the monsoon.

Earlier this month, the Foreign Ministry had given a green signal f