Thiruvananthapuram projects covering the airport, Vizhinjam port, city drainage, coastal protection, public transport and water security received a coordinated push after Transport Minister C P John and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor reviewed proposals requiring state and central government intervention.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, focused on expediting development initiatives in the capital district and identifying proposals that could be advanced through the state government or taken up with the Centre through the MP. District collector K S Anju also attended the meeting.
The state government will take steps to secure central funds through the city corporation and submit proposals under the Urban Challenge Fund, according to the report. The discussions included the acquisition of the remaining 22 acres required for the development of Thiruvananthapuram airport. The meeting also examined issues connected with the state’s mining corridor and the proposed rejuvenation of Akkulam Lake.
Transport and logistics projects formed another major part of the review. The participants discussed using Sagarmala funds for Vizhinjam port, rehabilitating families affected by projects and introducing green fuel bunkering facilities at ports in Thiruvananthapuram. Proposals for multimodal logistics parks were also considered, alongside construction of the Melarannoor flyover in coordination with the railways.
The meeting identified several demands to be raised with the Centre through Tharoor. These include an income tax exemption for the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and the possibility of extending assistance to the transport corporation through the MP Local Area Development Scheme. The report did not specify the proposed value or structure of any such assistance.
Central support will also be sought for measures to prevent coastal erosion and for projects to modernise the city’s drainage network. These proposals directly concern the functioning of the district’s coastal settlements and urban areas, although the meeting did not announce a project timeline, funding allocation or implementation schedule for either measure.
Water infrastructure was another area requiring central intervention. Tharoor has been tasked with taking up a proposal to increase the storage capacity of Peppara dam with the Union environment ministry for the necessary clearance. The report did not state the proposed increase in storage capacity or indicate when the clearance request would be submitted.
Other proposals include central funding for the National Waterway, development of Valiyathura port and the possible establishment of a Tata hospital using corporate social responsibility funds. The hospital proposal was described as a possibility, and no site, project cost or construction timeline was announced.
The meeting therefore produced a list of proposals and responsibilities rather than confirmed project sanctions. The state government is expected to pursue central funding through the city corporation, while the MP will raise specified demands with Union authorities, including the Peppara dam proposal. Further progress will depend on the submission of proposals, funding decisions and the clearances required for individual projects.
