Sakthivel re-elected TEA President

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/sakthivel-re-elected-tea-president/

Dr. A. Sakthivel, regarded as the man behind bringing Tirupur regions on the world EXIM map, was re-elected as President of Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) at the elections held on the sidelines of the Annual General Meeting of the TEA on Aug 31.

Tirupur Exporters Association – popularly known as TEA – was established in the year 1990. This is an Association exclusively for exporters of cotton knitwear which has production facilities in Tirupur. From a modest beginning TEA has grown into a strong body of knitwear exporters. Today, TEA has a membership of over 890 life members and 155 associate members.

In the keenly contested polls, Dr. Sakthivel defeated Mr. Raja Shanmugam, an apparel exporter and Chairman of NIFT-TEA Knitwear Institute, by a margin of 32 votes. The winner got 418 out of the total 805 votes polled.

With the new mandate, Dr. Sakthivel continues to be the President of TEA since the Association was formed in 1990.

While Mr. G. Karhikeyan was re-elected as General Secretary, Mr. E. Palanisamy and Mr. Chandran were elected Vice-Presidents. Likewise, Mr. P. Gopalakrishnan and Mr. Rajkumar became the Joint Secretaries and Mr. P. Moghan was elected as Treasurer.

The members of the association, from the beginning, have resolved to develop their organization focusing on main areas including multilateral growth of knitwear industry and exports, development of infrastructural needs for Tirupur, implementation of schemes for the benefit of the society and public and promotion of constructive co-operation with workers with fair division of rewards.

Dr. Sakthivel, a renowned and well-known Textile Tycoon of South India, was born in a simple, agricultural-oriented family on Nov. 12, 1947 in Tamil Nadu, India.

After securing a Diploma in Automobile Engineering, he began his career with a short term service in TELCO. Realizing the inborn urge in him that he is born to become an entrepreneur, he tuned himself to be a successful employer, rather than being an employee. His flair for business and keen interest in innovation and novelty helped him build up a diversified industrial group in Tirupur, known for its hosiery industry.

Known as one of the leading apparel exporters in South India, Dr. Sakthivel is credited as one of the main architects of Tirupur’s knitwear and garment industry. His relentless efforts and vision for Tirupur transformed this small town into a global apparel-making hub.

He remained to be the prime mover of many visionary projects in Tirupur, such as Tirupur Export Knitwear Industrial Complex (TEKIC), Netaji Apparel Park (NPA),  NIFT – TEA Fashion Knitwear Institute. Today, the town of Tirupur, which has exceeded the Rs. 11,000-crore-mark of knitwear and garments exports, has been the result of Dr. Sakthivel‘s vision.

Under the aegis of AEPC and initiatives of Dr. Sakthivel, Knitwear Technology Mission has been set up in Tirupur. The objective of the Mission is to help the knitwear exporters to produce synthetic-based garments, mainly Sport wear, Swim wear etc. since synthetic garments have a global market throughout the year.

Knitwear Technology Mission is playing a major role for introducing latest technology and also offer design consultancy which will help the exporters to venture into manufacturing of synthetic garments.

Dr.  Sakthivel is the Founder-Promoter of internationally reputed knitwear brand ‘POPPYS’. He has been honoured with the ‘Padmashri’ Award for his significant contribution in the textile industry. He was also awarded the doctorate degree from Bharthiyar University, Coimbatore, for his pivotal role in motivating many enterprising and capable youngsters to make a career in export, his dedicated involvement in visionary projects and initatives and his immeasurable contribution to the growth of industry and to the development of the society.

In 1990, when TEA was formed, Dr. Sakthivel had a vision for the knitwear industry – a billion $ exports in 1995, and achieved it by pursuing the goal with a missionary zeal, taking every day in his fold.

He was the first South Indian to become the member in Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) in 1984 and become the Chairman of AEPC in 1998 and for the second time in 2004. He has been elected as President of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), New Delhi, for the period 2009-2011.

Tirupur exports, from a meagre Rs. 10 crores in 1985 to Rs. 5, 000 crores in 2003 and Rs.11, 000 crores in 2006-07, is a performance that has no parallel anywhere in the world.

Khalifa Port celebrates first anniversary

Source: http://www.adpc.ae/en

Abu Dhabi's state-of-the-art Khalifa Port on Sept 1 celebrated the first year anniversary of its commercial operations.

According to a media statement, in just one year, Khalifa Port has gone from a pristine stretch of reclaimed land four kilometers out to sea, to busy hub port serving 17 shipping lines, offering 18 direct services with direct links to more than 40 ports.

Owned byAbu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) and operated by Abu Dhabi Terminals (ADT), the container terminal in Khalifa Port is the very first semi-automated port in the Middle East, a state of the art facility with world class technology.
Khalifa Port which was delivered on time and under budget, commenced commercial operations on 1 September 2012 and was officially inaugurated by HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, on 12 December 2012.

Khalifa Port was built to accommodate all container traffic from Zayed Port and the additional cargo generated by the adjacent Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad).
Zayed Port opened in 1972 and has served the Abu Dhabi Emirate for 40 years. However, in 2005, it was realized that with projected growth, Zayed Port would reach full capacity by 2011, and so the Abu Dhabi leadership realized the urgent need for a new modern port with space to grow, to support their long term vision of strong and sustainable economic prosperity.

The work to move all container traffic from Zayed Port to the new Khalifa Port was completed three months ahead of schedule and the transition has enabled Zayed Port to focus on bulk cargo, general cargo, RORO and establishing the port as a world class cruise destination.

Today, Khalifa Port is the gateway to Abu Dhabi, handling all of the container traffic for the Emirate.  With a 16m water depth, Khalifa Port is capable of receiving and handling the biggest ships sailing the world’s oceans.
Khalifa Port is equipped with latest technology and equipment in the industry, including six super post panamax ship to shore cranes which can reach across 22 container stacks on a ship, and 30 automated stacking cranes and 20 straddle carriers.
One year on, direct connections link Khalifa Port to more than 40 international destinations and transshipment at the world’s main hubs, such as Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas on the Straits of Malacca; Hong Kong and Shenzhen in the Pearl River Delta; Port Said at Suez Canal; and Algeciras and Tangiers at the Straits of Gibraltar all offer customers a truly global reach.

Khalifa Port’s first year of commercial operations includes some notable achievements including an 8% increase in productivity for January to July 2013, when compared with the same period last year and in July the terminal handled a record 81,000 TEU containers – the most ever handled in one month in the emirate.
Also in July, the port achieved its highest crane production, with 43.3 crane moves per hour, while loading and unloading the CSL Ride, and in August the terminal achieved a work production rate of 142.4MPH, both achievements placing the terminal in the global top ten for productivity.
Khalifa Port is, with the adjacent Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad), a key element in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. Together Khalifa Port and Kizad are increasing international trade, developing the industrial landscape and creating employment opportunities.  By 2030, both will generate 15% of the emirates non-oil GDP.
Khalifa Port and Kizad offer customers an integrated transport structure, ease of doing business and access to global markets linking East and West in international trade.
Marking the first anniversary of commercial operations, Mohamed AlShamisi, Acting CEO of ADPC said: “Khalifa Port and Kizad industrial zone are together, the biggest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
“I would like to thank our leaders and stakeholders for their vision and support. Together we are developing a world class sustainable hub port that is already actively enhancing international trade, providing direct access to global markets, and creating development and employment opportunities for the UAE”.
Martijn Van de Linde, the Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Terminals, the operator of Khalifa Port Container Terminal added: “Khalifa Port lays the foundation for a diverse economy and gives businesses the best possible opportunity to compete in the global market place.
“Since the commercial opening on 1st September last year, our customers have enjoyed 35% productivity increases at the quayside, so ships spend less time in port. We have also cut the trucks turnaround time by 64%, so today a truck spends only about 15 minutes at the terminal to pick-up or drop-off a container” Mr. Van de Linde added.
“Another benefit of the semi-automated operations at the Khalifa Port Container Terminal is that it is a much safer environment than the traditional operating modes used in other regional ports and I am exceptionally proud to say that since we began the first trials here a year ago, we have achieved 1.9 million man hours with no lost time incidents.”
Khalifa Port Phase One has capacity for 2.5 million TEU containers and 12 million tonnes of cargo, however, the terminal is being developed in stages, increasing its capacity as market requirements increase. Ultimately, the port will have capacity for 15 million TEU containers and 35 million tonnes of cargo, making it one of the biggest ports in the world.

தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணைய திட்டங்களுக்கு மாநில அரசு முட்டுக்கட்டை

Source: http://www.dinamalar.com/news_detail.asp?id=791788

தி.மு.க., ஆட்சியில் துவக்கப்பட்டது என்ற காரணத்தால், தமிழகத்தில் நடந்து வரும் தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையம் மேற்கொண்டு வரும் பல்வேறு திட்டங்களுக்கும், மாநில அரசு முட்டுக்கட்டை போட்டு வருகிறது என்ற குற்றச்சாட்டு எழுந்துள்ளது. கோவை - மேட்டுப்பாளையம் நான்கு வழிச்சாலை திட்டம் கைவிடப்பட்டுள்ள நிலையில், மற்ற திட்டங்களின் நிலை கேள்விக்குறியாகியுள்ளது.

சென்னைத் துறைமுகம் - மதுரவாயல் மேம்பால சாலைத் திட்டத்தை, 1,815 கோடி ரூபாயில், தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையம், 2010, செப்டம்பரில் துவக்கியது. 20 சதவீத பணி மட்டுமே நடந்த நிலையில், கூவத்தில் நீரோட்டத்தைப் பாதிக்கும் வகையில், பணி நடப்பதாக தமிழக அரசு தடை விதித்தது. பிரதமரின் ஆலோசகர் உள்ளிட்டோர், மாநில அரசுடன் பலகட்ட பேச்சு நடத்தியும் பயனில்லை. 485 நாட்களைக் கடந்தும் பணிகள் முடங்கியுள்ளன. இதைத் தொடர்ந்து, 630 கோடி ரூபாய் மதிப்பிலான, கோவை - மேட்டுப்பாளையம் நான்கு வழிச்சாலைத் திட்டத்தில், மாநில அரசு சிக்கல் செய்தது. சட்ட ரீதியாக வாய்ப்பில்லாத இடத்தில் சுங்கச்சாவடியை அமைக்க வேண்டும் என, நெருக்கடி கொடுத்தது. ஒரு கட்டத்தில், திட்டத்திற்கான முன் அனுமதியை மாநில அரசு ரத்து செய்ததால், அதிருப்தியடைந்த தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையம், சில தினங்களுக்கு முன், திட்டத்தைக் கைவிடுவதாக அறிவித்தது.
இதுகுறித்து, திட்ட இயக்குனர் கணேஷ்குமார் கூறுகையில், ""மாநில அரசு, திட்டத்தை செயல்படுத்த விடாத வகையில் பல்வேறு நெருக்கடிகளைக் கொடுத்தது. திட்ட வரைவுப்படி, சுங்கச்சாவடி அமைய வேண்டும். இதை, வேறு இடத்திற்கு மாற்ற வலியுறுத்தியது,'' என்றார். மேலும், ""நகராட்சி எல்லையில் இருந்து, 10 கி.மீ., தூரத்திற்குள் சட்ட ரீதியாக சுங்கச்சாவடி அமைக்க முடியாது என, தெரிவித்ததும், மாநில அரசு அளித்த முன் அனுமதியை ரத்து செய்தது. எனவே, வேறு வழியின்றி திட்டம் கைவிடும் நிலை ஏற்பட்டது,'' என்றார்.

மாநில அரசு பணி என்ன?
* தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையம் மேற்கொள்ளும் பணிகளுக்கு, மாநில அரசு ஒத்துழைப்பு உடன்படிக்கையில் கையெழுத்திட வேண்டும்.

* திட்டத்திற்கு தேவையான நிலங்களை ஆர்ஜிதம் செய்து, ஒப்படைக்க வேண்டும்.
* திட்டப்பணிக்கு தேவையான சவுடு மண், ஜல்லி போன்றவற்றை பெற, மாவட்ட நிர்வாகம் மூலம் அனுமதி அளிக்க வேண்டும். 

ஆனால், மாநில அரசு, தமிழகத்தில் நடக்கும் எந்த திட்டத்திற்கும், ஒத்துழைப்பு உடன்படிக்கையில் கையெழுத்திடாமலும், நில ஆர்ஜிதம், மண், ஜல்லி எடுக்க அனுமதி தராமலும் இருந்து வருவதால், துவக்கப்பட்ட பணிகளும் செயல்படுத்த முடியாமல் முடங்கும் சூழல் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஆணையத்தின் பொது மேலாளர் ரெட்டி கூறுகையில், ""மாநில அரசு வேண்டுமென்றே, இரண்டு ஆண்டுகளாக, தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையத் திட்டங்களுக்கு ஒத்துழைக்கவில்லை; மாநிலத்தின் வளர்ச்சியைப் பற்றி கவலைப்படவில்லை,'' என்றார்.

காரணம் என்ன? 
தமிழகத்தில் நடந்து வரும், 13 திட்டங்களும் (பட்டியல் தனியாக), கடந்த தி.மு.க., ஆட்சிக் காலத்தின் போது துவக்கப்பட்டவை தான். மத்திய கப்பல், தரைவழி போக்குவரத்து அமைச்சராக இருந்த டி.ஆர்.பாலு ஆர்வம் காட்டினார். ஆட்சி மாற்றத்திற்கு முன் அவசரம் அவசரமாக ஒப்பந்தம் கோரி, பூஜை போடும் பணிகளும் முடிந்தன. தி.மு.க., காலத்தில் துவக்கியது என்ற காரணத்திற்காக, மாநில அரசு 

தொடர்ந்து முட்டுக்கட்டை போட்டு வருவதாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது. "இதைத் தவிர வேறு எந்த காரணமும் இருப்பதாக தெரியவில்லை' என்று, பெயர் வெளியிட விரும்பாத, தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணைய அதிகாரி வெளிப்படையாக பேசினார்.

திட்டங்களின் கதி என்ன? 
தமிழகத்தில், 9,278 கோடி ரூபாயில், 1,136 கி.மீ., தூரத்திற்கு, 13 திட்டங்களை தேசிய ஆணையம் செயல்படுத்தி வருகிறது. மாநில அரசின் ஒத்துழைப்பின்மையால் மந்த கதியில் பணிகள் நடந்து வருகின்றன. மேலும், 13 திட்டங்கள் (பட்டியல் தனியாக) திட்ட வரைவு தயாரித்தல், ஒப்பந்தம் கோரும் நிலையிலும் உள்ளன. "மாநில அரசு தொடர்ந்து முட்டுக்கட்டை போடுவதால், தமிழகத்தில் பணிகளை ஏன் எடுத்தோம் என, ஒப்பந்ததாரர்கள் புலம்புகின்றனர். திட்டங்களைச் செயல்படுத்த நாங்கள் நினைத்தாலும், ஒப்பந்ததாரர்கள் முன் வருவரா என்ற சந்தேகம் உள்ளது' என, ஆணைய உயர் அதிகாரி ஒருவர் தெரிவித்தார்.
தமிழ்நாடு தரைவழி போக்குவரத்து கூட்டமைப்பு தலைவர் சுகுமார் கூறுகையில், ""மாநில அரசு, மாநில வளர்ச்சியைப் பார்க்க வேண்டுமே தவிர, எந்த ஆட்சியில், யாரால் துவங்கப்பட்டது என, பார்ப்பது சரியல்ல. தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையத் திட்டங்களால் மாநிலம் வளர்ச்சி பெறும்; நெரிசல் தீரும். திட்டங்களுக்கு ஒத்துழைப்பதோடு, எங்கள் காலத்தில் கொண்டு வந்தோம் என, மேலும் பல திட்டங்களை, மாநில அரசு கொண்டு வரலாம்,'' என்றார்.

மாநிலத்தின் வளர்ச்சிக்கு, சாலை மேம்பாட்டுத் திட்டங்கள் அவசியம். இது போன்ற திட்டங்கள் வருவதால் தான், வெளிநாட்டு தொழில் நிறுவனங்களும் சென்னையில் தொழில் துவங்க முன் வந்துள்ளன. சாலை மேம்பாட்டுத் திட்டங்கள் முடங்குவது, மாநில வளர்ச்சியைப் பாதிக்கும் என்பதால், தமிழக அரசு, தேசிய நெடுஞ்சாலை ஆணையத் திட்டங்களுக்கு சரியான ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்க வேண்டும் என்பதே தமிழக மக்களின் விருப்பம்.
- நமது நிருபர் -

Learn your job, be a good shipmate & stay happy – Chief Surveyor tells cadets

source:http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/learn-your-job-be-a-good-shipmate-stay-happy-chief-surveyor-tells-cadets/

Underlying the importance of good training for sea-going professionals in their respective training institutes, Mr. Amitava Banerjee, Chief Surveyor with the GoI, Directorate General of Shipping, has urged the cadets to learn their job onboard a ship and be a good shipmate.

Addressing a gathering of students and guests during the passing out ceremony of first batch of Diploma Mechanical Engineers (DME) and third batch of Graduate Mechanical Engineers (GME) at Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training (HIMT), he said: “You (passing out cadets) have been given loads of information, long hours of training, so many experiences and faculty members teaching you day in and day out on what is to be required onboard a ship.”
Exhorting the cadets to understand the intricacies before going onboard a ship for job, Mr. Banerjee stated: “You (cadets) are required to know all the systems that would be onboard. Unless you  are able to impress your seniors, which is not possible unless you know your job onboard, you will not be of any help to the people onboard the ship, and unless you are of some help onboard ship, you will not be in a position to remain happy.”

“Therefore, I exhort you that please see to it that you learn your job (onboard a ship). Be a good shipmate and stay happy,” Mr. Banerjee advised the passing out cadets.
Touching upon the rights of seafarers onboard, he added: “You have certain basic rights onboard and those are to be maintained. Once those rights are maintained, there is no problem.”
Earlier, Mr. Banerjee formally inaugurated the Ship-in-Campus – T S Madhurika and congratulated the efforts of HIMT for inculcating quality maritime education and training to its students.
In his welcome address, Mr Sanjeev S.Vakil, Managing Director, HIMT, lauded the efforts of Mr. Banerjee in focusing on quality (maritime) education and training that ultimately help the cadets to suit into their jobs onboard a ship.
Mr. Vakil pointed out: “The most important thing, which is going to bring revolution in training, is the Comprehensive Inspection Programme (CIP), framed in the interest of seafarers, Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) and shipping companies. It is three-in-one approach comprising scheduled inspection by Academic Council, Quality Management System (QMS) audit by a certifying body and rating assessment by credit and debit rating agencies and I think the order (by DG Shipping) is going to ease out many things.”
Besides others, Mr. V. Ganapathi Rao, Vice-President (Technical), Goodearth Maritime Pvt Ltd., attended the ceremony.

TCX begins weekly service from KICT (Kattupalli Port) on Sept. 19

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/tcx-begins-weekly-service-from-kict-on-sept-19/

Kattupalli International Container Terminal (KICT), a new facility managed by L & T (next to Ennore Port, Tamil Nadu) and operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), has announced that THAILAND CHENNAI EXPRESS SERVICE (“TCX –), a consortium of NYK & X-PRESS Feeders, would begin regular schedule from KICT from Sept. 19.

According to vessel schedule information available online from NYK Line, TCX vessel Iwaki (voyage no: 161) would call at KICT on Sept 19 evening and expected to leave the terminal in the wee hours of Sept. 20.

It may be worth recalling at this juncture that the KICT handled its maiden import-boxes laden vessel X-PRESS INDUS (TCX service) on April 18.

Sensing a new business opportunity after the first TCX service call, the management of the terminal as well as the TCX consortium held several rounds of negotiations for regular services from Kattupalli.

Finally, a few days ago, the consortium gave its nod for a regular weekly service from Kattupalli to Singapore, Port Klang and Laem Chabang.

With a view to meeting the demand of the EXIM fraternity, KICT also made operational its Container Freight Station (CFS) located inside the port premises.

With a ground slot for 360 TEUs and a full-fledged modern warehouse in about 45,000 sqft, KICT also equipped itself to cater to the requirement of exporters and importers.

The port of rotation for TCX service would be Laem Chabang – Singapore – Port Klang – Kattupalli – Chennai – Port Klang-Singapore-Laem Chabang.

Chennai Port assures good deal for fertilizer importers

Source:http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/chennai-port-assures-good-deal-for-fertilizer-importers/

As part of its series of trade facilitation meetings with (port) users, Chennai Port on Aug. 19 organized an interactive session with fertilizer importers in its premises.
More than a dozen prominent players in the sector, including Madras Fertilizers Limited, Coromandel International Ltd, Indian Potash Limited, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd, KRIBCHO and Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd-SPIC (from importers side) and Express Clearing Agency, Western Agencies and PSTS Logistics Ltd (from stevedores’ side) had sent their representatives for the interactive session.
Initiating a free-wheeling chat with the prominent players of the segment in the region, Mr. N. Vaiyapuri, Traffic Manager, Chennai Port Trust, made a brief presentation on the facilities available for importers of fertilizers in the port.
In his brief presentation on the current scenario, he spoke about the availability of transit sheds and modern warehouses for fertilizers inside the port premises.
While presenting the prevailing situation of continuing downward trend in handling of fertilizer imports in Chennai Port over the past five years with apt statistics, Mr. Vaiyapuri sought the trade’s help to improve the situation.
Addressing the elite guests, Mr. Atulya Misra, Chairman, Chennai Port Trust, sought a new perspective from the trade on how to turnaround the situation, where it would be win-win for both the port management as well as to the importers.
He also asked the trade to spell out their problems and other issues while approaching the Chennai Port management for import of fertilizer products.
During the interaction, the representatives of the trade outlined a few impediments like restricted movement of fertilizer products from port premises via road transport, non-availability of more rakes from Railways for moving out cargo, crane utilization and slow discharge rates – that prevent them from using the Chennai Port for their fertilizer imports.
Responding to them after giving a patient hearing to their problem and possible expectations from the port, Mr. Atulya Misra assured them of looking into their concerns in a systematic manner.
He also assured the trade that he would take up the movement restriction of fertilizer products in lorries as bulk (than bags) with the local authorities, including the traffic police department soon.
It may be noted here that the local authorities in Chennai had banned the movement of sulphur, one of the fertilizer products regularly imported via Chennai Port, in bulk (rather than packed in bags) in heavy vehicles due to a spillage event some five years ago.
According to the traders, they find it very difficult economically to import the product in bulk up to Chennai Port, then repack them into bags just for the prevailing movement restriction and unpack them to store it in bulk in their respective godowns.
Reacting to the demand of more rakes from Railways for moving such cargo, as 70 % of fertilizer products have to be mandatorily moved via rail-network only, the Chairman assured the trade that he would take up the matter with the Railway authorities very soon.
Mr. Misra also informed the EXIM players that the management has already envisaged plans for improving productivity and moving fast on enhancing handling capacity inside the port by going in for Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode.
Besides other senior port officials, Mr. R. Ananth, Assistant Commissioner, Chennai Customs, attended the meet and offered clarifications on Customs-related issues.

Chennai Port stresses in HC importance of elevated road

Source: http://www.sagarsandesh.com/news/chennai-port-stresses-in-hc-importance-of-elevated-road/

-Issue is likely to reach its crescendo on Aug. 19, when the State Government is expected to file its affidavit as directed by the Madras High Court.

The 19-km Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Road is of great significance in view of the development of a container terminal with a capacity of four million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers per annum, the port authority has said in an affidavit before Madras High Court.

Filing a counter on Aug. 14 to a writ petition filed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) seeking the quashing of the order of the Chief Engineer, PWD, Water Resource Organisation, Chennai Region (Government of Tamil Nadu), of Jan. 28, Mr. Sunilkumar Madabhavi, Chief Engineer, ChPT, submitted before the court that of the total traffic handled by Chennai Port for the last five years, 70 to 80 per cent cargo movement was by road, of which 60 to 70 per cent road-bound cargo was towards the south of the port (towards Maduravoyal due to its proximity to national highways).
“Due to the congestion on city roads and due to commencement of Chennai Metro rail construction work, the southern gate of the port was open only for a limited period during night hours for cargo traffic. Hence, completion of this project is vital for cargo movement to and from Chennai Port and the proposed dry port at Mappedu, without hindering city road traffic,” he submitted.
The project is not only beneficial for the development of Chennai Port but would also help local traffic to use the corridor continuously as there are entry and exit ramps in the corridor for local traffic to reach the Madras High Court, Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital and Central and Egmore railway stations and other major hospitals located en route the elevated road without passing through congested arterial roads inside the city, he said in the affidavit.
It all started in March this year, when the Madras High Court ordered notice to the State Government authorities and the Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) following a plea in the court by NHAI praying for a direction to the authorities to coordinate and take all steps to proceed with the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal Elevated Corridor project and complete the same within a time frame.
According to NHAI, the elevated project is the first of its kind in India with a length of 19 km. The NHAI, after obtaining necessary clearances, concurrences, no objection certificates and approvals had commenced the project in September 2010. It is to be completed by September 2013.
The estimated travel time from Chennai Port to Maduravoyal at a speed of 60 kmph would be 15 to 20 minutes, whereas the existing roads take more than two hours.
The alignment was finalised after taking into account all aspects of geometry, optimum utilisation of Cooum boundary and minimum acquisition of private land. The project, along the Cooum River, was mainly designed based on the requirements of the State to suit not only the port but also that of the general public.
However, after a change in the Government in May 2011, there has been no cooperation from the various departments of the State Government with regard to land acquisition, rehabilitation and re-settlement of the project-affected families for reasons best known to them.
The authorities concerned were not evincing any interest on this project and became averse to the same. By the Jan. 28 order, the PWD had urged the NHAI to obtain revised CRZ clearance and to carry out certain remedial measures such as drudging of 2 metres beyond the outer column and construction of retaining wall for a height of 3 to 5 metres in the extended portion.
The whole issue is likely to reach its crescendo on Aug. 19, when the State Government is expected to file its affidavit as directed by the Madras High Court.