Minister for Cooperation, Ports and Devaswom V.N. Vasavan has said that administrative sanction for ₹5.5 crore has been granted for the construction of a godown at the Azhikal Port. He made the announcement during his meeting with K.V. Sumesh, MLA, here on Thursday.
Mr. Vasavan said the godown, essential for storing goods at the port, would see construction work commencing shortly. Dredging operations at the port, aimed at increasing the depth from the current 2.5 metres to over 4 metres, are scheduled to begin after the monsoon. Moreover, a ₹2-crore project has been sanctioned for supply of clean water to the port.
The Minister said the upcoming commissioning of the Vizhinjam Port would significantly benefit Azhikal, Beypore and Kollam ports, facilitating the transfer of containers from large cargo ships. Basic development work, including dredging, was planned to support the initiative, he added.
Mr. Vasavan said efforts were on to launch cruise ship services connecting Vizhinjam, Kollam, Kochi, Beypore, and Azhikal. There are also plans to establish a ferry system between Kochi and Dubai, capable of accommodating 1,200 passengers. Future developments will aim to connect these ports further, he said.
Discussions with the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and the Kozhikode Chamber of Commerce have been planned for this month to expedite the launch of cargo services. Additionally, the Maritime Board will review the development of the Azhikal port at its upcoming meeting.
