The National Green Tribunal has given approval to the government of Kerala to proceed with the tender process for the Vizhinjam international seaport and container terminal project at Thiruvananthapuram.

The tribunal made the observation while hearing an appeal challenging the environmental clearance given to the project by the government. Meanwhile, the tribunal has posted the next hearing in the case against the project on 1 July, 2014.

With this approval, the developer, Vizhinjam International Seaport, can go ahead with the tenders initiated by it to select a port operator. The project entails an investment of Rs 5,187 crore.

Recently, five companies evinced interest in the RfQs that were invited in December 2013, by the company, to build the port superstructure and operate the proposed deepwater container transhipment port at Vizhinjam through PPP, on DBFOT basis. The work is estimated to cost Rs 4,000 crore.

The five companies are: Gamon Infrastructure; Essar Ports; Adani Ports; Hyundai-Concast, and Srei and OHL.

These entities have also responded to the port's RfQ tender for EPC works, which was floated separately by the company, in December 2013. The last date of submission of this work is 30 June, 2014.

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