The Kerala government has decided to bring the long-pending Outer Area Growth Corridor (OAGC) project under the direct administrative control of the Ports Department, shifting it from the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD), in a major push to accelerate port-led industrial development around Vizhinjam.
The move is aimed at overcoming procedural bottlenecks and improving coordination among departments to fast-track the project, which forms a key component of the Capital Region Development Programme-II (CRDP-II). The Industries Department has convened a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss implementation strategies and coordinate the development of the proposed industrial clusters.
The decision comes amid expectations that the Centre will grant approval within a month for the proposed Thiruvananthapuram Outer Ring Road (ORR), which will connect Vizhinjam with Navaikulam. The OAGC is envisaged as a major economic development corridor leveraging the proposed highway and Vizhinjam International Seaport to establish industrial, logistics and economic hubs across the capital region.
A P M Mohammed Hanish, Additional Chief Secretary (Industries), said the government was keen to expedite the project through better inter-departmental coordination.
The Monday meeting will examine various aspects of implementation to ensure that the proposed industrial clusters develop in alignment with the Vizhinjam port ecosystem, he said.
The project, which remained under the LSGD for several years, encountered repeated delays over the approval of its Master Development Plan, land pooling arrangements and coordination among various government departments. In September, an empowered committee chaired by the Chief Secretary reviewed CRDP-II and discussed measures to revive the initiative.
Under the proposed plan, the OAGC will extend 2.5 km on either side of the Outer Ring Road, covering eight industrial and economic clusters at Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kattakada, Nedumangad, Vembayam, Mangalapuram, Kilimanoor and Kallambalam.
Of these, the two clusters closest to the port will be managed by the Ports Department, while the remaining six will come under the Industries Department. The proposed development will encompass logistics and industrial facilities, health tourism, green and smart industries, pharmaceuticals, food processing, life sciences and IT-related activities.
As a first step towards establishing the larger industrial ecosystem, the government is focusing on developing supporting infrastructure for Vizhinjam port. Around 230 acres in Neyyattinkara and Kattakada taluks have been identified for port-related requirements. These two taluks also account for a significant portion of the land bank currently under consideration, according to Mohammed Hanish.
Meanwhile, landowners affected by the proposed ORR alignment are preparing to launch protests over the continued delay in obtaining central government approval. Members of the action council representing affected landowners said they remained unconvinced by assurances that the clearance would be granted within a month, pointing out that similar assurances had been made repeatedly without a final decision.
The transfer of the OAGC to the Ports Department is expected to provide fresh momentum to the project, which is considered critical to translating Vizhinjam’s potential as a major maritime gateway into wider industrial, logistics and economic growth for Kerala.