The Thiruvananthapuram district administration has invited expressions of interest from eligible agencies to conduct a social impact assessment for phases 2, 3 and 4 of the Vizhinjam International Seaport expansion, with the study expected to examine possible job and livelihood losses among affected coastal communities.
The assessment will identify concerns among fishermen, tourism sector workers, small traders and other groups whose incomes depend on local economic activity. It will cover Vizhinjam port, Adimalathura, Jubilee Nagar, Pulinkudi and Ambalathumoola, according to information reported by the Times of India.
The invitation marks a formal move to document the social consequences of the proposed expansion before the later phases proceed. The district administration has asked interested agencies to submit their expressions of interest by November 13 to the sub-collector and chairperson of the rehabilitation implementation committee at the sub-collector’s office.
Only agencies empanelled by the Thiruvananthapuram district administration to conduct social impact assessments under the land acquisition law are eligible to apply. Applicants must be legally registered in India and must have at least five years of operational experience. They must also hold valid PAN and GST registrations.
Agencies facing government restrictions or that have been blacklisted by the government will not be eligible to participate. Preference will be given to organisations with experience in social impact assessments, infrastructure projects and coastal livelihood sectors, indicating that the administration is seeking expertise relevant to both land-related processes and the local economy.
The selected agency will be expected to conduct surveys and collect field data, manage information digitally and use geographic information system analysis. It must also be capable of conducting field surveys in Malayalam, a requirement that reflects the need for direct engagement with affected communities in the project area.
A social impact assessment of this kind is intended to establish how a proposed infrastructure project may affect employment, livelihoods and community concerns. In the Vizhinjam expansion area, the scope identified by the administration extends beyond landowners to include fishing-linked communities, tourism workers, small traders and others dependent on local economic activity.
The inclusion of five locations in the assessment area will require the selected agency to gather evidence across settlements and livelihood groups connected to the port’s expansion zone. The terms of reference and other details of the assignment are available on the official website of the Thiruvananthapuram district administration.
The immediate next step is the submission of expressions of interest by eligible empanelled agencies on November 13. The administration’s selection of an agency will determine how field surveys, digital data collection and the assessment of community concerns are carried out for the proposed expansion phases.
