The Centre has issued a directive to commence construction activities of the IOCL’s ₹715-crore Cochin LPG import terminal project at Puthuvype immediately and to fix a revised timeline to make up for the delay following the stalling of the work since February 16, 2016.
“The project has got the clearance of the National Green Tribunal, other mandatory clearances, and the approval of the Supreme Court for the environmental clearance. The ball is in the State’s court,” Union Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation D.V. Sadananda Gowda told a press meet on Thursday.
Revised target
The Minister, who earlier reviewed the ongoing 21 Central infrastructure projects in the State, each costing above ₹150 crore, said a directive had been issued to the authorities to relaunch the construction that was suspended because of local stir. The IOCL authorities has fixed May 2019 as the revised target for the completion of the project.
The IOCL authorities informed the Minister that they were not in a position to restart the work. The IOCL has already suffered a loss of ₹325 crore, at ₹1 crore a day. The cost and time overrun and the loss would burden the national exchequer, it was said.
On the Kochi-Salem LPG pipeline project, Mr. Gowda said there were no land acquisition issues in Kerala. Tamil Nadu was yet to finalise the alignment of the 220-km pipeline route from Palakkad to Salem. “We will write to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Once completed, it will bring down transportation of LPG through road and would provide the safest mode of transportation of LPG.”
The Minister, who also reviewed the Kochi metro, said the metro connectivity project should be made available to the public without delay. Land acquisition would be expedited and technical issues resolved to complete the other reaches.
Railway projects
The railway projects executed in the State also came up for review. Mr. Gowda said the State has rejected the Centre’s request to share 50% cost of laying the rail connectivity to Sabarimala.
