A high-level Environment Ministry panel has recommended conditional clearance for constructing a Rs 4,000 crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram.

The decision to grant conditional environmental and CRZ clearance to the key project has been taken by the Expert Appraisal Committee for Projects related to Infrastructure Development, Coastal Regulation Zone, Building/Construction and Miscellaneous projects in its meeting held last month.

The clearance was granted after the project proponent, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, convinced the panel that it would bring overall economic benefit to the area, state, region, and the country.

While recommending the project, the panel noted that the Project Proponent has assessed all likely impacts due to the project and arrived at a suitable Environmental Management Plan.

Now, granting clearance is the discretion of Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan.

Kerala Government is planning to build the port, a public-private partnership project, in three years and then choose an operator to take it forward.

The port, situated 10 nautical miles off the international shipping route, would attract trans-shipment traffic.

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