Thiruvananthapuram: The long-delayed outer area growth corridor (OAGC), a flagship urban and industrial development initiative linked to the Vizhinjam International Seaport, has regained momentum after the state govt cleared funding for the outer ring road and moved ahead with key procedural steps for the corridor’s implementation. The local self-govt department has handed over the OAGC master plan to the capital region development programme-II (CRDP-II) after months of delay, paving the way for the project to advance towards final govt approval. The master plan, held up by inter-departmental coordination issues, was submitted to CRDP special officer K Biju for incorporating suggestions before final submission to the finance department. The OAGC is being spearheaded by CRDP-II as the state’s principal framework for Vizhinjam port-led industrialisation. Conceived as a growth corridor along the proposed outer ring road connecting Vizhinjam and Navaikulam, it aims to facilitate planned urban expansion, decongest the city centre, create industrial and logistics hubs, and develop suburban growth centres. A senior govt official said the state was determined to accelerate industrialisation around the port and remove bottlenecks that had slowed the project. “The govt has taken a policy decision to fast-track Vizhinjam port-led industrialisation. The OAGC is a critical component of that strategy. Necessary amendments to land-related laws will be introduced soon so that more land can be identified and made available for industrial, logistics and allied development linked to Vizhinjam. The objective is to ensure Kerala fully capitalises on the economic opportunities created by the port,” he said. The upcoming state budget may also reflect this push, he added. CRDP sources described the master plan’s movement as a significant breakthrough after nearly a year of uncertainty. “The master plan has been returned to CRDP with observations from the LSG department. We will incorporate the suggestions and submit the revised proposal to the finance department shortly. Once final clearance is received, the project can move into the implementation phase. There is renewed confidence following the progress on the outer ring road,” a source said. The OAGC covers the development zone on either side of the 62-km ORR corridor from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam, envisaging eight major economic clusters at Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Kattakada, Nedumangad, Vembayam, Mangalapuram, Kilimanoor and Kallambalam. These include a logistics and industrial hub at Vizhinjam, health tourism facilities at Kovalam, and specialised industrial, commercial and service-sector clusters at other nodes. At Mangalapuram, the OAGC proposes an IT integrated hub called Neopolis, which requires central funding and is currently awaiting approval. The ORR, notified as NH-866 under the Bharatmala programme, is expected to serve as the corridor’s backbone, linking the port with key highways and growth centres across the capital region.
