Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has not ruled out the possibility of the government going for re-tender to select port operator for the upcoming Vizhinjam Deepsea International Container Terminal Port in Thiruvananthapuram.
"The government is moving ahead with the project in such a manner that it would not be delayed even if government had to go for re-tender," he told reportersin Thiruvananthapuram.
The Chief Minister, however, added that discussions were on with Mumbai-based Welspun consortium - the sole bidder remaining when the tender was floated.
The group had asked for a grant of Rs 421 crore as part of the contract. The government has to follow certain guidelines in view of the sole bidder, he said.
Further, the minister said that the environment impact study on the Rs 4,010 crore project has started. The study has to be undertaken in all the three seasons and it would take 18 months for completion.
On the other mega-project underway in the state, Oommen Chandy said construction work of the main building of SmartCity IT park, promoted jointly with Dubai based TECOM investments, would begin on June 9.
The building, at an estimated cost of Rs 600 crore, would be completed and first stage of the IT park commissioned by 18 months, he said.
Also, works connected with the Kochi metro has already started and only a technical clearance from the Centre has to be received for the project.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, executing the project, had been given a target to complete the Kochi-Metro work in three years, he said.