The government is considering several options to overcome the shortage of granite for the construction of the country�s first International Multi-purpose Deepwater Seaport project at Vizhinjam.
Following restrictions imposed on granite mining by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the State is considering bringing granite from Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, Kollam district and rural areas of Thiruvananthapuram district.

Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd (AVPPL) of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), the private multi-port operator selected to build the superstructure and operate the seaport, said 70 tonnes of granite were needed for completing the 3.1-km long breakwater.

The availability of granite is crucial for construction of the breakwater beyond 600 m. The remaining critical portions of the breakwater are in the deepwater that ranges from 16 to 20 m.

The government has asked the District Collectors of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram to identify granite quarries and procure granite to enable AVPPL to expedite work on the project. The government is also considering allowing the AVPPL to do granite quarrying on its own, official sources said.

Jayakumar, Managing Director and CEO, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL), told The Hindu that quarries in Kilimanoor had been identified and the aim was to move granite through sea via the Muthalapozhi harbour in bottom opening barges to the site.

For this, a load jetty had to be set up at Muthalapozhi harbour on the lines of one set up in Kollam with storage yards. Compared to 55 km by road from Kilimanoor to Vizhinjam, the sea route is only 22 km.

The granite from the quarries in the capital, to be used on the top of the breakwater, will be sourced from the district later.

As much as 17,600 Accropode Version II is needed for armour layer to protect the core of the breakwater. Over 2,200 had been cast and each has a weight of 13.5 tonnes and is equivalent to 35 tonnes of rock.

With dredging coming to a standstill following the heavy damage suffered to the two dredgers in the Ockhi cyclone and access to the site hit, the AVPPL is trying to mobilise the needed granite in the interim period before dredging can commence in September.

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