Thiruvananthapuram: The proposed cloverleaf interchange connecting the Vizhinjam International Seaport approach road with NH 66 at Thalakode has moved closer to implementation, with the state govt completing demarcation of around 30 acres required for the project.The revenue department completed the demarcation two days ago and has communicated the details to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), sources said. NHAI is expected to inspect the identified land and initiate the next steps, including acquisition and notification.The interchange is planned as a critical link between Vizhinjam port, NH 66 and the proposed outer ring road (NH 866). It will have four loops, allowing traffic to move between the port approach road and NH 66 in different directions without signal-controlled crossings.However, construction of the interchange will begin only after work on the outer ring road starts. NHAI has proposed a cloverleaf interchange at the Vizhinjam end and a trumpet interchange at the Navaikulam end.“The state govt expects the Centre’s final Cabinet approval for the outer ring road by the end of this month. Once the approval is secured, we expect work on the ORR and its associated interchanges, including the Vizhinjam cloverleaf, to progress in tandem,” a source associated with the project said.The interchange assumes significance as Vizhinjam is emerging as a major transshipment and container-handling hub. Once operational, it is expected to facilitate smoother movement of container trucks and other heavy vehicles between the port and NH 66, reducing dependence on existing road links and avoiding conflicts with through traffic on the national highway.The cloverleaf design had earlier received in-principle approval from the Centre, while NHAI has prepared the geographical drawings for the interchange. The four-directional junction will connect the ORR, NH 66 and the Vizhinjam port approach road.As decided at a project meeting, the four-loop interchange will be executed jointly. NHAI will construct two loops, while the remaining two will be built by Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd, the private operator of the port. The cost of land acquisition will be shared equally by the state govt and NHAI.NHAI has already floated a tender to construct the outer ring road under the BOT mode, and the latest bid submission deadline has been extended to Oct 7.Meanwhile, NHAI has issued a fresh preliminary notification to acquire an additional 28.7418 hectares for the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam ORR, providing further momentum to the long-delayed project. The latest notification follows one issued last month for acquisition of around 260 hectares.Land acquisition is being undertaken in villages spread across the Chirayinkeezhu, Nedumangad, Neyyattinkara, Kattakada and Varkala taluks.
