Kerala Cabinet on Wednesday accepted competitive technical bids from two consortia for operation of the proposed Vizhinjam International Transhipment Terminal near here.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the media after the Cabinet that the government had received bids from consortia led by Welspun and Mudraport. Their financial bids would be opened for consideration only after getting security clearance from the Central government. Then, a choice would be made as to which of the consortia should operate the port.
The Chief Minister said that the feasibility study for the 28 km monorail project between Balaramapuram and Kazhakoottam in Thiruvananthapuram would be widened to cover extension of the rail to Mangalapuram and Neyyattinkara. The decision was taken considering representations from members of Parliament and Assembly. Further steps would be taken on the proposal for monorail in Kozhikode. The feasibility report for the project was ready.
Mr. Chandy said that the Cabinet had sanctioned 148 posts of clerks and peons for the 74 evening courts sanctioned in the State. These courts would function as part of existing courts.
He said that 311 works pending up to Phase 7 of Prime Minister’s Gramin Sadak Yojana would be retendered, applying the new schedule of PWD rates. The earlier tenders were dropped on account of issues of tender excess.
The land of a defunct school at Kaloor in Kochi, originally allocated to the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, would now be allotted for the family court and other court facilities in Kochi on a request from the High Court. The University had been allocated 10 acres at Kakkanad and they had already constructed buildings there.
