T’puram: Chief minister V D Satheesan said that the state govt so far has spent Rs 3,764.54 crore on the Vizhinjam port project.In response to a written question from opposition MLAs in the state legislature, Satheesan said that in the first phase the Centre invested Rs 817.80 crore and Adani Ports has invested Rs 2,554 crore. He said that the Adani Ports has promised to invest Rs 19,000 crore in subsequent phases.The declaration comes at a time when the opposition leaders have been saying that the state govt has so far invested Rs 5,370 crore in the project.Satheesan said that steps would be taken to improve connectivity to the port by building Balaramapuram-Vizhinjam rail line and Vizhinjam-Navaikulam outer ring road.The opposition had been creating a controversy in the assembly after the Securities and Exchange Board of India approval for MSC Group’s investment to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore for a 49% stake in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd came out.CPM had been claiming that the state govt was kept in the dark about the deal and has also raised a claim that it was carried out with an understanding of the CM. The state govt has decided to take legal opinion on the investment by the Swiss company.Adani Ports maintained that the investment which needs to be approved by state govt, union govt and the Competition Commission of India will help increase cargo handling at Vizhinjam.
