State govt is poised to float a tender for tunnel rail connectivity project between Vizhinjam International Seaport and Balaramapuram railway station in Sept.
A high-level meeting convened on Saturday brought together officials from the state govt, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) and Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) to review and refine the tender documents, following KRCL’s detailed presentation.
While the presentation received broad approval, VISL and govt representatives proposed several modifications and raised counterpoints, prompting the scheduling of a final meeting in the first week of Sept to iron out these issues before the tender is officially issued.
Once finalised, the project, estimated at approximately Rs 1,483 crore, will see the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract floated, aiming to expedite rail-based freight connectivity to the deep-water port. The proposed alignment spans around 10.7km, with roughly 9.4km running through a tunnel constructed using the new Austrian tunnelling method (NATM), reaching depths of 25 to 30m below ground.
Trains are expected to traverse the entire tunnel in about 36 minutes at speeds between 15 and 30 km/h.
According to a senior govt official, “The tender process is a crucial step toward transforming Vizhinjam port from a transshipment hub to a cargo gateway. Timely execution of this project will significantly bolster the economic potential of the region.”
The project has garnered wide-ranging support, especially given its potential to open up Vizhinjam port to hinterland markets, including those in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. However, delays in land acquisition have been a persistent bottleneck, particularly affecting the speed of project rollout.
Construction is expected to commence in 2026, with completion expected by the end of 2028.