Vallarpadam terminal hits roadblock

Work on road connectivity moves at a slow pace

Even as the construction work on the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam near here is going on at a brisk pace, concerns have been raised over the slow progress of the road connectivity project.

The terminal is expected to be operational by April 1, 2010.

The road connectivity between the terminal and NH 47 is crucial to the project as around 80 per cent of the container traffic will be by road in the initial stage, said Suresh Joseph, general manager of DP World, the developer of the terminal.

Even after repeated ultimatums from the Prime Minister’s Office, the work is still lagging owing to various reasons and it is unlikely that the road would be ready for the 4-lane traffic by March, 2010. Only 50 per cent of the road work has been so far completed.

A recent strike by tipper lorry workers had brought the work to a halt for 3 weeks and now shortage of river sand is only adding to the problem. Moreover, the slow progress in the linkage of bridges on the proposed road is a major hurdle as the two-lane traffic can be provided only when this is complete.

At some places, public outcry against the road is yet to be resolved.

The Cochin Port Trust has, however, assured DP World that the 2-lane traffic would be ready within the deadline. According to the contract between CPT and DP World, the former has to pay a huge compensation if the rail and road connectivity and allied infra facilities are not ready by March.

According to Joseph, in case the road connectivity is not ready, the CPT and the Ernakulam district administration have worked out two alternatives. The CPT will provide a roll on-roll off/lift on-lift off (ro ro/lo lo) barge service for transportation of containers between Willingdon and Vallarpadam islands for which it has signed an MoU with Inland Waterway Authority of India. It is also setting up modern inland waterway terminals at Willingdon and Bolghatty that will link all the 11 existing National Waterway-3 terminals from Kollam to Kottappuram with the new port logistic chain leading to ICTT.

Joseph said a substantial part of the container movement could be done through this, especially towards the southern part of Kerala.

The other alternative is allowing container movement through Vypeen-Parur road during night.

Work on the railway line between the terminal and Edappally too was impacted due to an agitation by dwellers of Makkaparambu area near Edappally. The dewellers are demanding a subway as the new railway line will literally cut them off from the rest of the world.

Meanwhile, the buildings would be completed by this December while yards by January next. The wharfs would become fully operational by March, he said.