Kerala sees port plan blocked again due to Chinese investment
The state of Kerala in India has been again rebuffed in its attempts to move forward on a seaport development due to the involvement of Chinese investors, the Hindustan Times reported this week.
According to the report, a proposed port in the city of Vizhinjam has been stalled due to the involvement of Chinese marine terminal operators. The issue first came up last summer, when the Indian security ministry denied port projects in Mumbai and Vizhinjam because Chinese companies were pegged to operate terminals there.
'We have finally got a letter from New Delhi stating that the project cannot go ahead because of the Chinese companies,' State Ports Minister M Vijayakumar told the Indian newspaper.
Meanwhile, Kerala officials are worried that the delay would allow a port to develop in the neighboring southern state of Tamil Nadu in Colachel.