NHAI urged to fast track Vallarpadam road project

The shipping ministry has urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to make available at least a two-lane road connectivity to the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam by March 2010 to facilitate the commissioning of the terminal.

Speaking to the media after reviewing the progress of terminal work and its connectivity projects, shipping secretary APVN Sarma expressed concern over the slow progress of the road work. Though he said other construction works like the rail connectivity were progressing fine.

While there is only a month’s work left for the completion of rail connectivity, construction of transshipment terminal facilities and the dredging work being carried out by the port trust are progressing according to schedule. The only delay seems to be in completing the road work, he observed.

Cochin Port Trust chairman N Ramachandran said ICTT would be commissioned within the first quarter of next year. He hoped that the exact date could be decided within a couple of weeks after reviewing the progress of the work.

Earlier, Sarma visited the terminal site at Vallarpadam, the construction sites of the National Highway connectivity and the port-based special economic zone at Puthuvype where the construction of an LNG terminal is in progress.