CHENNAI PORT: Trailers to stay off the port as talks fail

By G Saravanan
Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/trailers-to-stay-off-the-port-as-talks-fail/231083.html
Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on December 14, 2010:


CHENNAI: With Chennai Port Trust officials refusing to open more gates for container trailers for moving boxes meant for import and export, trailers drivers have decided to intensify their flash strike that began on Sunday. They said the stir would continue till a solution was arrived at. 
As the strike has crippled the movement of all containers, port trust officials, led by chairman Atulya Misra, met representatives of the trailer owners on Monday evening to break the deadlock. The hour-long meeting ended inconclusively, as port trust officials were adamant upon not opening more gates for trailer movement, sources said.


S R Raja, president of the Chennai Trailers Owners Association, who participated in the meeting, told Express, “The talks have failed only because of the port management’s adamant attitude. Despite acknowledging the importance of operating more gates for smoother and faster movement, it suggested using only the zero gate to transport all containers, which again increase congestion near the gate.”
“When we demanded the re-opening of gate no. 2 and 2A near Royapuram for trailer movement at nights, the port management, unmindful of Christmas and New Year shipment, sought 10 days to ‘decide’ on it. We told them that the trailers would go off the road till a decision was made,” he added.
Sources from private container terminals said any delay in breaking the stalemate would reflect badly on the ability of the historical port, which has been slowly losing its competitive edge due to regular strikes. 
Misra had assured in the presence of Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan two days ago that more gates for trucks and trailers would be opened at the port.