Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal today said that the maritime sector will play a crucial role in achieving the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Vizhinjam Seaport as Chief Guest in Thiruvananthapuram. The Minister said Vizhinjam would emerge as a model for coastal development and employment generation. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the second phase of development of the Vizhinjam Seaport, involving an investment of 9,700 crore rupees. The Chief Minister said the project marks the beginning of a new chapter in Kerala’s infrastructure development and described Vizhinjam as the realisation of a long-cherished dream of Keralites.