Pix: Chennai Port Trust chairman Capt Subhash Kumar
By G Saravanan
Published on December 17,2009:
CHENNAI: If container carriers lining up for a few kilometres and clogging vehicular traffic on the Ennore Expressway has been a matter of concern for Thiruvotriyur residents, they can now rest assured as the Chennai Port Trust has woken up to the gravity of the problem.
The main grouse of the locals - that the container-trailer parking yard, leased to the trust by Thiruvotriyur Municipality for streamlining its congestion on road, had not been developed as promised - would be addressed in the next two months, Chennai Port Trust chairman Capt Subhash Kumar told Express.
The trust had received the necessary orders from the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, extending the lease period of the 11-acre plot along the beach to 30 years from the existing three years, a few days ago.
“We fully acknowledge the problem of container trailers parked along the Ennore Expressway due to delay in developing the dedicated yard, which could hold more than 500 trailers at a time. The order received a few days ago could help us develop it soon,” said Capt Subhash.
“We would be soon floating tenders for handing over the land to private players engaged in running container terminals inside the port on a long-term basis, which in turn would help them concrete the whole area for better usage,” he added.
Of the two terminals at the port, Chennai Container Terminal Limited (CCTL) is managing the first container terminal while Chennai International Terminals Pvt. Ltd (CITPL) runs the second terminal.
Ever since the trailer yard was leased to Chennai Port Trust some three years ago, it has been sub-leased to CCTL and the agency is using it as a hub for trailers reaching its terminal. On the other hand, CITPL’s connectivity to Inland Container Depot (ICD) destinations is enhanced by its own seamless rail connection.
As CCTL was the sub-lessee and the period was limited to just three years, the agency could not invest money to concrete the area. According to the agency, had the trust given the land to CCTL on long-term basis, it could have concretised the usage area.
According to sources, both these private operators would be eligible for participating in the tendering process going to be floated in the coming days by the trust. Once the facility is fully developed, it could considerably reduce traffic congestion on the expressway.
The main grouse of the locals - that the container-trailer parking yard, leased to the trust by Thiruvotriyur Municipality for streamlining its congestion on road, had not been developed as promised - would be addressed in the next two months, Chennai Port Trust chairman Capt Subhash Kumar told Express.
The trust had received the necessary orders from the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, extending the lease period of the 11-acre plot along the beach to 30 years from the existing three years, a few days ago.
“We fully acknowledge the problem of container trailers parked along the Ennore Expressway due to delay in developing the dedicated yard, which could hold more than 500 trailers at a time. The order received a few days ago could help us develop it soon,” said Capt Subhash.
“We would be soon floating tenders for handing over the land to private players engaged in running container terminals inside the port on a long-term basis, which in turn would help them concrete the whole area for better usage,” he added.
Of the two terminals at the port, Chennai Container Terminal Limited (CCTL) is managing the first container terminal while Chennai International Terminals Pvt. Ltd (CITPL) runs the second terminal.
Ever since the trailer yard was leased to Chennai Port Trust some three years ago, it has been sub-leased to CCTL and the agency is using it as a hub for trailers reaching its terminal. On the other hand, CITPL’s connectivity to Inland Container Depot (ICD) destinations is enhanced by its own seamless rail connection.
As CCTL was the sub-lessee and the period was limited to just three years, the agency could not invest money to concrete the area. According to the agency, had the trust given the land to CCTL on long-term basis, it could have concretised the usage area.
According to sources, both these private operators would be eligible for participating in the tendering process going to be floated in the coming days by the trust. Once the facility is fully developed, it could considerably reduce traffic congestion on the expressway.
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