The Kerala government has approved the assignment of 2.7 acres of state-owned land in Poovar, Thiruvananthapuram, to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for setting up a marine testing and research facility.

The land, valued at 2.5 crore rupees at fair price, will be handed over to DRDO’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, which specialises in underwater acoustic research and systems for the Navy.

The decision was taken by the state cabinet after deliberations on a request from DRDO for land to support testing operations crucial to national security. The Finance Department had, however, recommended levying the market value of 6.73 crore rupees—calculated at 6.18 lakh rupees per are—but the cabinet overruled this suggestion, opting instead to assign it at the fair value rate.

According to official records, NPOL’s director had sought a total of 12 acres in Poovar, near the Coastal Police Station in Neyyattinkara taluk. The land is intended to support testing facilities not only for NPOL but also for the Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam. The aim is to establish a strategic southern testing centre for marine exploration and acoustic trials.

A joint inspection was subsequently conducted by the Revenue Department and DRDO representatives, identifying 8.3 acres in total—4.3 acres belonging to the government and the remainder held privately. DRDO requested that the available government portion be assigned immediately so that preparatory work could commence in stages for experiments of national importance.

In his report, the District Collector noted that the identified site lies just 50 metres from the High Tide Line (HTL). Given its proximity to the sea and its relevance to defence research, the collector recommended using the state’s discretionary powers under the Kerala Land Assignment Rules to proceed with the allocation in favour of DRDO.

Although the Finance Department supported the proposal in principle, it insisted that the land be transferred at prevailing market value rather than at fair valuation. The cabinet, however, decided that given the project’s strategic significance to national defence and scientific advancement, the fair value clause would apply.

The upcoming facility at Poovar is expected to enhance the operational capabilities of NPOL in underwater system testing, acoustic measurements, and environmental modelling. It will also provide field support for naval R&D programs being undertaken jointly by laboratories in Kochi and Visakhapatnam.

NPOL, a premier DRDO establishment, has been instrumental in developing indigenous sonar systems and underwater surveillance technologies for the Indian Navy. Its core research domains include signal processing, electro-acoustic transducers, materials engineering, and oceanographic instrumentation—all critical to maritime defence applications.

Officials familiar with the project noted that the Poovar facility will enable testing closer to operational maritime conditions, helping DRDO reduce dependence on external sites. The decision is viewed as both a scientific and strategic investment in bolstering India’s undersea warfare research infrastructure.

Agencies