Cabinet gives green signal to underground rail project for Vizhinjam Port

The Kerala Cabinet has approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a Rs 1,482.92 crore underground railway line connecting Vizhinjam International Port to Balaramapuram railway station, aiming for completion by December 2028. The 10.7-km-long railway line, prepared by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), includes a 9.43-km underground tunnel due to geological conditions. The project has received administrative sanction, and land acquisition is in its final stages.

Port Minister V N Vasavan recently told the assembly that 4.6 hectares of land in Balaramapuram, Pallichal, and Athiyannoor villages are being acquired for the project. “The land acquisition process is in its final stages,” the minister said. KRCL was tasked with preparing the DPR in 2018, which was submitted to Southern Railway in 2019. It received approval in 2022, followed by clearance from the Ministry of Environment on 17 July 2024. Additionally, work is progressing on a 1.7-km road linking the port to NH-66. Once the port begins gateway container movement, the road and rail links are expected to boost the local economy.