Giving a boost to the Vizhinjam–Navaikulam Outer Ring Road (ORR) project, which is expected to emerge as a hotspot corridor for port-related industrialisation and investment in the State, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited tenders for the ₹8,004.72-crore Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project. As per the tender notification issued on June 5, interested companies can download the tender documents until August 6, and the bids submitted online will be opened on August 7.

The 62.7-km-long four-lane road, to be constructed from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam, will open up new avenues for port-related development in the capital region upon completion of the project. The NHAI has initiated the tendering process after the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) approved the project. The ORR is conceived as a state-of-the-art road corridor with a largely greenfield alignment connecting Vizhinjam Port at the southern end and Navaikulam at the northern end.

The State has also allocated its share of funds for land acquisition for the project. The funds were allocated after representatives of landowners who had given land for the project met the Chief Minister in person, along with MLAs, the other day and raised the issue. The Public Works Department will soon issue an order following the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. With the State sanctioning its share, the Centre can now expedite the project, according to officials. So far, 100 hectares have been acquired in 11 villages, while approximately 200 more hectares need to be acquired from 13 villages.

Earlier, delays in reaching a consensus on cost-sharing between Kerala and the Centre for land acquisition for the project, including the main carriageway and service roads, had hampered its progress. The road project is expected to bring significant economic development to the underutilised regions through which the new highway passes. A satellite township is also planned along the corridor under a comprehensive Master Development Plan for the Outer Area Growth Corridor (OAGC), which has been conceptualised for an influence zone extending 2.5 km on either side of the ORR.