Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed his availability to commission the Vizhinjam International Seaport on May 2. The Prime Minister’s office has communicated his schedule to the port authorities, with an official announcement from the state government expected soon.
The port began operations for commercial purposes in December last year, following successful trial runs conducted between July and December. Since then, it has received over 250 vessels and handled more than 5 lakh TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) of containers.
The formal inauguration had been delayed due to technical issues. However, the port has since resolved several pending matters, clearing the path for future development. The Centre and the state government have also resolved disagreements over the sharing of the Viability Gap Fund (VGF) for the project, culminating in an agreement signed on April 9. Before this, in March, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted environmental clearance for the second and third phases of the port’s development.
As part of the agreement, the Centre has committed to contribute Rs 817.80 crore as its share of the VGF to Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL), the project’s concessionaire. A tripartite agreement was signed among the Centre, AVPPL, and the consortium of banks involved. Additionally, the state government has agreed to share 20% of the port’s revenue with the Centre.
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