THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid speculation that the Adani Group might miss the deadline for the completion of the first phase of the Vizhinjam seaport project, the company has written to the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd VISL ) requesting more time to complete the phase one.Official sources in VISL said that the Adani Group has cited adverse climatic conditions as the reason for the delay in carrying out the works. Apart from this, the company has also claimed that the dredgers which were brought for the construction got damaged in the cyclone Ockhi. Ockhi disaster has been cited as the main reason behind the delay in the work.However, the government has decided to conduct a detailed study on the letter given by Adani Group. The government will take action on the letter after getting the study report. It is learnt that an independent agency will be entrusted to conduct the study.As per the agreement, the first phase of the work has to be completed by December 2019. The Adani Group has now made it clear that they will not be able to complete the project by this time.At present, only 40% of the dredging work has been completed and the reclamation is completed only in 33 hectares whereas the original target is 53 hectares. The breakwater project has also not been completed. Many of the breakwaters constructed were damaged in Ockhi disaster.As per the agreement between the state government and Adani Group, the company will have to pay a compensation to the government for any kind of delay in completing the project. However, another clause in the agreement says that there will be no penalty for delay due to natural calamities. Now, it is up to the study report, based on which the government will decide whether it should extend the deadline by triggering the penalty clause or not.Earlier, Adani Group had come out against the local protests claiming that it would delay the work. Then the company had said that it would not be able to complete the work in 1,000 days.

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