The proposed Vizhinjam cloverleaf interchange connecting the port approach road with NH 66 has hit a land acquisition hurdle after local residents protested during a survey and land demarcation exercise at Thalakode in Thiruvananthapuram district. The district administration is now preparing a stakeholder meeting to address the objections and enable the survey to resume.
Survey proceedings in the affected area were suspended following the protests, but the land acquisition process has not been formally stopped, according to the report. Residents have sought clarity on the project’s design, the extent of land required and the implications of acquisition for properties in the area.
The proposed meeting is expected to include representatives of the protesting residents, local MLA M Vincent, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL), revenue department officials and other stakeholders. District collector K S Anju said the administration would convene a meeting shortly to resolve the issues.
The Vizhinjam cloverleaf interchange is planned as a four-loop road connection between the port approach road and NH 66. VISL and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are expected to construct two loops each, while the cost-sharing arrangement for the project has already been worked out, according to the report.
The interchange is being pursued as part of the port’s long-term road connectivity network. Vizhinjam International Seaport has commenced commercial operations, and authorities expect container and export-import cargo movements to increase. The port currently relies on a temporary road connection to NH 66, making the proposed permanent link an important component of its planned road access.
The project is intended to allow container trucks and other cargo vehicles to move more directly between the port and the national highway. Authorities have said that the temporary arrangement may become inadequate as cargo volumes rise, increasing the risk of congestion on NH 66.
The immediate challenge is to reconcile the interchange’s transport requirements with the concerns of landowners and residents affected by the acquisition. The district administration’s proposed meeting will determine how the objections are addressed and whether survey and demarcation work can restart. Further progress will depend on the outcome of those discussions and the continuation of the land acquisition process.
