CPT to float new company to develop Parking Yard

Kochi, Nov 9 (UNI) Cochin Port Trust (CPT) has decided to float a new company by the name of Willingdon Island Parking Yard (P) Ltd, to develop a full-fledged truck parking terminal on Willingdon Island.

The CPT has entered into an understaing with port users like the Cochin Custom House Agents Association, Cochin Steamer Agents Association, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry to set up the company.

In the first phase, the terminal will come up on a 5.5 acre land near Vathuruthy Railway crossing, where the construction work for the parking terminal is in full swing, a CPT spokesman said here today.

The terminal will have adequate facilties for rest rooms, public amenities, canteens and other essential services. There will also be repair facilities for vehicles as well as weighbridges.

Parking in this terminal will be on chargeable basis and the details are being worked out, he added.

A proper truck parking facility has been a long standing demand of container lorry drivers, who have gone on strike on this issue a few times.

Meanwhile, the Port has also decided to collect a parking fee from November 25 for all commercial vehicles entering the Port area beyond the toll gates. This had become necessary because of the prohibitive cost of maintaining the roads, the spokesman said.

However, no parking fee will be collected from trucks for the first six hours after entry at the toll gate. If the trucks pick up or collect their cargo within six hours and go out, there will be no parking fee for that period. Any additional stay within the port premises beyond six hours will be chargeable on an hourly basis.

UNI ARC KKS1615