Lok Sabha Question No. 1296 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Port Development and Inland Waterways in Kerala
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Shri Kodikunnil Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1296

ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026

## PORT DEVELOPMENT AND INLAND WATERWAYS IN KERALA

1296.  SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- (a) the current status and phase-wise progress of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Project  in  Kerala,  including  targets  achieved  so  far  and  the  revised  timeline  for  full commissioning;
- (b) the details of central assistance and investments, including Viability Gap Funding, extended to the Vizhinjam Port project and the expenditure incurred till date;
- (c)  the  funds  allocated,  released  and  utilised  during  the  last  five  years  for  the development  of  inland  waterways  in  Kerala,  particularly  the  Vembanad-Kuttanad system, under National Waterway programmes;
- (d)  the  physical  progress  and  components  of  inland  waterway  works  undertaken, including dredging, terminals, navigation aids and passenger/freight movement; and
- (e)  the  steps  taken  or  proposed  to  enhance  cargo  handling,  passenger  transport, employment generation and environmental sustainability through port-led and inland waterway development in Kerala?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a): The  Vizhinjam  International  Seaport  Project  is  being  developed  under  Public Private Partnership (PPP)model between the Government of Kerala (GoK) and Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL)for which a concession agreement was signed on 17.08.2015. The Phase I of the project became operational on 03.12.2024, with an annual handling capacity of 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).  The

Government of Kerala and the AVPPL, through a supplementary concession agreement dated 28.11.2024, havedecided to implement Phase II, III and IV together as a single capacity  augmentation  phase  with  completion  target  of  December  2028.  This  will increase the capacity to 3 million TEUs per annum with a potential to handle upto 5.7 million TEUs per annum through enhanced automation and operational efficiencies.

(b): The details of central assistance and investment including Viability Gap Funding (VGF)  extended  to  the  Vizhinjam  International  Seaport  Project  and  the  expenditure incurred till date are as under:.

- (i) Viability  Gap  Funding  by  Govt.  of  India  (GoI):  Rs.  817.80  crore  -  100% expenditure incurred
- (ii) Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment by GoI:
-  FY 2023-24: Rs. 145.07 crore - 100% expenditure incurred
-  FY  2024-25:  Rs.  1,134.52  crore  -  Rs.  1134.46  crore  expenditure incurred
-  FY  2025-26:  Rs.  341.30  crore  sanctioned  and  first  installment  Rs. 225.258 crore released and Rs. 184 crore expenditure incurred as on 31.01.2026

(c): The details of expenditure incurred by Indian Waterways Authority of India(IWAI) during  the  last  five  years  for  development  of  inland  waterways  including  VembanadKuttanad system in Kerala is as under:

| Financial Year          |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|-------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Expenditure (in₹ crore) |     21.52 |     10.83 |      3.82 |      4.76 |     15.26 |

(d) and (e): The IWAI has undertaken various works in the declared National Waterways (NW) i.e. NW-3, NW-8 and NW-9 in the state of Kerala along with several measures for enhancement of cargo handling, passenger movement and employment generation which are as under:

- (i) Re-construction of navigation lock cum bridge at Thrikunnapuzha in NW- 3 (progress: 52%);
- (ii) Construction of new single lane bridge at Kovilthottam in Chavara in NW3 (progress: 80%);
- (iii) Dredging  and  widening  works  including  bank  protection  and  removal  of hard strata in Edapallikota - Kollam stretch in NW-3 (progress: 15%);

- (iv) Construction  of4  HDPE  floating  jetties  at  IWT  terminals  (progress:  10%) and construction of new survey launch (progress: 20%) in NW-3.

In addition, the IWAI has undertaken following initiatives for promotion of Inland Water Transport (IWT) in the state of Kerala:

- (i) Constructed 9nos. Inland Water Transport Terminals (IWT) terminals cum godowns at Kottapuram, Aluva, Maradu, Vaikom, Thaneermukam, Alappuzha, Thrikunnapuzha, Kayamkulam and Kollam for cargo handling, and 2nos. Roll on - Roll off (Ro-Ro) terminals at Bolgatty and Willington Island in NW-3 for Ro-Ro service to de-congest Kochi city traffic;
- (ii) Constructed  02  nos.  Ro-Ro  vessels  through  Cochin  Shipyard  Limited (CSL), Kochi and operating between Bolgattyand Willington Island in NW3  through  Kerala  Shipping  and  Inland  Navigation  Corporation,  Kochi (Govt. of Kerala) to de-congest the road in Kochi city;
- (iii) Navigational buoys installed in NW-3 (312 nos.), NW-8 (15 nos.) and NW9 (25 nos.) for 24 hours safe navigation of vessels;
- (iv) Planned construction of 04 nos. HDPE jetties at IWT terminals (Vaikom, Thaneermukam, Alappuzha and Kayamkulam) for River Cruise Tourism in NW-3;
- (v) Undertaken feasibility studies such as Urban Water Transport at Alappuzha and Kollam through Kochi Water Metro Ltd.

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